Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Subcutaneous lymphoma in middle-aged cats causes painless lumps
By Meichner, K & von Bomhard, W·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2016·Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Patient characteristics, histopathological findings and outcome in 97 cats with extranodal subcutaneous lymphoma (2007-2011).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 97 middle-aged male Domestic Shorthair cats were diagnosed with subcutaneous lymphoma, which is a rare type of cancer that appears as a firm, painless lump under the skin, often on the sides or back. Unfortunately, these tumors tend to be aggressive, with many cats experiencing local relapses after treatment and some developing distant spread of the disease. On average, the cats lived about 148 days after diagnosis. If you notice a lump on your cat, it's important to consult your veterinarian, as this could be a sign of subcutaneous lymphoma or another serious condition.
People also search for: cat lump under skin · subcutaneous lymphoma in cats · cat cancer treatment options · signs of cancer in cats · Domestic Shorthair lymphoma symptoms
Abstract
This study describes epidemiologic, clinical, macro- and microscopic tumour characteristics and outcome in 97 cats with subcutaneous lymphoma, an uncommon variant of feline extranodal lymphoma. Middle-aged (median 11 years), male (60.8%), Domestic Shorthair cats (89.7%) were commonly affected. Most tumours presented as a painless, firm, subcutaneous nodule or mass, with predilection to the lateral thoracic or abdominal wall, and the interscapular region. Deep subcutaneous invasion with extension into superficial or underlying tissues, extensive central areas of necrosis and peripheral inflammation were characteristic histopathological findings. Prevalence of retroviral infection was low. Local relapses after therapy were common (43.5%), and 32.2% had distant involvement later in course. Median overall survival was 148 days. Subcutaneous lymphoma should be considered a rare but important differential diagnosis for a subcutaneous mass in cats. Tumours show an aggressive biological behaviour. Treatment options including prognosis should be investigated in further studies.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24410724/