Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival of 54 cats with oral squamous cell carcinoma in United Kingdom general practice.
- Journal:
- The Journal of small animal practice
- Year:
- 2007
- Authors:
- Hayes, A M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Centre for Small Animal Studies · United Kingdom
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
This study looked at the survival of 54 cats in the UK diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer in the mouth. On average, these cats lived for about 44 days after diagnosis, with only 9.5% surviving for a year. Factors that seemed to help with survival included being a purebred cat, receiving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) after diagnosis, and having a specific pattern of COX-1 protein in their tissues. While the overall outlook for this type of cancer is not good, some treatments may help cats live longer than more aggressive options. Overall, the findings suggest that palliative care could provide some benefit, but more research is needed to understand the best treatment approaches.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine the survival of 54 cats with histologically confirmed feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (FOSCC) treated in UK general practice and to determine factors predictive for survival. METHODS: Cases were identified from consecutive samples submitted for histological diagnosis. Observational and survival data were collated retrospectively from submitting practices. Immunohistochemical analysis of cyclooxygenase (COX) expression variables was available using previously published data. Kaplan-Meier product limit estimation for overall survival and Cox proportional hazards regression for potential explanatory variables were performed. RESULTS: The overall median survival time was 44 days [95 per cent confidence interval (CI): 31-79] and 1 year survival was 9.5 per cent. Variables associated with survival were whether the cat was pedigree [hazard ratio (HR)=8.17, 95 per cent CI: 1.96-34.12], whether the cat received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy after diagnosis (HR=0.46, 95 per cent CI: 0.21-0.98) and whether the COX-1 staining distribution was patchy rather than diffuse (HR=0.25, 95 per cent CI: 0.08-0.014). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study suggests that although the prognosis for inoperable FOSCC remains poor, palliative treatments may offer a survival advantage that compares favourably with more aggressive treatment methods. Further work is needed to evaluate NSAID therapy in this disease, in particular to determine whether the potential survival advantage is because of an analgesic or anticancer effect or both. COX-1 distribution patterns may have a role as a prognostic indicator in this disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17559521/