Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with thymoma developed low white blood cells during treatment
By Fidel, Janean L et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2008·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Granulocytopenia associated with thymoma in a domestic shorthaired cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old spayed female cat was brought to the vet after a mass was found in her chest during an X-ray. The mass was identified as a thymoma (a type of tumor in the thymus gland) and was treated with radiation therapy. Unfortunately, this treatment led to a drop in her white blood cells, which can make her more susceptible to infections. To address this, the vet prescribed medications to suppress her immune system, and after about seven weeks, her blood cell counts returned to normal. The tumor was then surgically removed, and her medication was gradually reduced and stopped three weeks after the surgery.
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Abstract
A 5-year-old, spayed female cat was referred because of a mass in the cranial mediastinum noted on thoracic radiographs. A thymoma was diagnosed following ultrasound and biopsy of the mass. Treatment was initiated with coarse-fraction radiation therapy using external-beam therapy (four fractions of 5 Gy). The mass responded, but granulocytopenia developed. Bone marrow examination showed a myeloid to erythroid ratio of approximately 1:1, with a left shift within the myeloid line. These findings, as well as the lack of toxic changes within the peripheral blood neutrophils, suggested immune-mediated destruction of peripheral granulocytes. Immune suppression with prednisone and cyclosporine was instituted. After 7 weeks, the neutrophil count returned to normal. The tumor was removed, and cyclosporine was reduced and eventually discontinued 3 weeks postsurgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18593858/