Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How to tell low-grade intestinal lymphoma from enteritis in cats
By Freiche, Valérie et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2021·Ecole Nationale Vé, France·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Clinical, laboratory and ultrasonographic findings differentiating low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma from lymphoplasmacytic enteritis in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with similar symptoms of gastrointestinal issues were evaluated to determine whether they had low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (a type of cancer) or lymphoplasmacytic enteritis (an inflammatory condition). The study found that male cats with longer-lasting symptoms and increased appetite were more likely to have lymphoma. Additionally, ultrasound showed that cats with lymphoma often had rounded lymph nodes and small amounts of fluid in the abdomen. While these findings can help vets differentiate between the two conditions, a definitive diagnosis still requires further testing.
People also search for: cat intestinal lymphoma symptoms · cat abdominal ultrasound results · cat increased appetite lymphoma
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (LGITL) is the most common intestinal neoplasm in cats. Differentiating LGITL from lymphoplasmacytic enteritis (LPE) is challenging because clinical signs, laboratory results, diagnostic imaging findings, histology, immunohistochemistry, and clonality features may overlap. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate possible discriminatory clinical, laboratory and ultrasonographic features to differentiate LGITL from LPE. ANIMALS: Twenty-two cats diagnosed with LGITL and 22 cats with LPE based upon histology, immunohistochemistry, and lymphoid clonality. METHODS: Prospective, cohort study. Cats presented with clinical signs consistent with LGITL or LPE were enrolled prospectively. All data contributing to the diagnostic evaluation was recorded. RESULTS: A 3-variable model (P < .001) consisting of male sex (P = .01), duration of clinical signs (P = .01), and polyphagia (P = .03) and a 2-variable model (P < .001) including a rounded jejunal lymph node (P < .001) and ultrasonographic abdominal effusion (P = .04) were both helpful to differentiate LGITL from LPE. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Most clinical signs and laboratory results are similar between cats diagnosed with LGITL and LPE. However, male sex, a longer duration of clinical signs and polyphagia might help clinicians distinguish LGITL from LPE. On ultrasonography, a rounded jejunal lymph node, and the presence of (albeit small volume) abdominal effusion tended to be more prevalent in cats with LGITL. However, a definitive diagnosis requires comprehensive histopathologic and phenotypic assessment.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34687072/