Mj. Slawienski et al., MALIGNANT COLONIC NEOPLASIA IN CATS - 46 CASES (1990-1996), Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 211(7), 1997, pp. 878
Objective - To evaluate a group of cats with malignant colonic neoplas
ia and to identify factors related to survival time. Design - Retrospe
ctive study. Animals - 46 cats with malignant colonic neoplasia. Proce
dure - Information on signalment, diagnostic findings, histopathologic
diagnosis, surgical procedure performed, identification of nodal meta
stasis at surgery, type of chemotherapy administered, and survival tim
e was obtained from the medical record of each cat. A diagnosis of mal
ignant colonic neoplasia had been established by histologic examinatio
n of endoscopic biopsy specimens (3 cats), biopsy specimens obtained d
uring laparotomy (38), or necropsy specimens (5). Results - Mean age o
f cats was 12.5 years (range, 6 to 18 years). Ultrasonography was usef
ul 84% of the time in localizing the mass to the intestine. Three cats
had endoscopic biopsy, 9 had incisional biopsy, 21 had mass resection
, and 8 had subtotal colectomy performed. Histopathologic diagnoses in
cluded adenocarcinoma (21 cats), lymphoma (19), mast cell tumor (4), a
nd neuroendocrine carcinoma (2). Clinical Implications - Obtaining cle
an margins at surgery seems to increase survival time in cats with mal
ignant colonic neoplasia. Metastasis at the time of surgery decreases
survival time. Data from this study indicate that the survival time of
certain cats with colonic lymphoma may not be affected by chemotherap
y. Cats with an unidentified colonic mass should receive a subtotal co
lectomy to increase survival time. Cats with colonic adenocarcinoma sh
ould receive a subtotal colectomy with consideration of doxorubicin ad
ministration to increase survival time.