Pancreatic carcinoma

From Felipedia

Pancreatic tumours in cats can be difficult to differentiate from acute pancreatitis, although the duration of illness is longer with neoplasia. Pancreatic neoplasia in cats is rare and associated with a poor prognosis, but pancreatic nodular hyperplasia is a common incidental finding.

Clinical signs

Most cats with adenocarcinomas have anorexia, acute onset vomiting, abdominal pain, a palpable abdominal mass, and/or jaundice.

Diagnosis

Diagnostic abnormalities include leukocytosis, hyperglycaemia, increased alanine aminotransferase activity, poor serosal detail on abdominal radiography, and typically an abdominal mass effect on ultrasonography. The majority of cats with carcinomas have metastases (mostly to liver, lung, and small intestine), and many are euthanased or die within 7 days of diagnosis. Clinically, feline pancreatic carcinoma may be difficult to distinguish from acute pancreatitis. Other, more rare differentials to consider are insulinoma and gastrinoma. Histological studies have revealed that the common types of pancreatic neoplasia are (in order of frequency) carcinoma/adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma and lymphangiosarcoma.

Treatment

Although rarely successful, treatment usually includes surgical debulking and chemotherapy. Palliative treatment as an adjunct to surgery and chemotherapy may improve survival time.