Fibrosarcoma

[Clairebear8621]

Good morning... My cat is approximately 12 years old and I found a pea size lump on her hip and on the side of her stomach... The are kinda hard and move around.. So I took her to the vet.. He sd it's more than likely fibrosarcoma...they took chest x-rays and there is a snowy pattern in her lungs that they say is 'just different and not normal'... And it's probably related to the lumps. I take her to have the lumps removed on Tuesday to confirm the diagnosis. So, if it is in her lungs, does anyone know how long I may have with her? I'm am just beside myself with grief.. I don't think I can make the decision to put her to sleep, I know she's an older cat and do not want to put her through surgery after surgery.. I just want to give her a comfortable life.. She's my baby.. I'm so sad.. Can anyone offer any advice/knowledge regarding what i need to expect?

[Catty1]

Hi, ClaireBear, and welcome - though I wish I was greeting you under happier circumstances. :(

Ask your vet about prednisone - this keeps the swelling of the tumours down a bit, and keeps her appetite up. Your vet will know about other things that will keep your girl comfortable.

I don't know if your vet will recommend chemo - if it will help.

There is a product called Transfer Factor that some people have had success with. It basically makes the body alkaline, which cancer can't live in. I don't know what stage your kitty's cancer is at, but again ask your vet and I am sure you will get more responses here.

Do you have a picture of your girl? What is her name?

HUGS to you - I am so sorry you are going through this.:love:

[Freedom]

Oh my, how scary! Sending you cyber hugs and calming thoughts. Waiting to get more info is tough. Do let us know what more the vet advises. And what the lab reports show, for the lumps he removes.

[kuhio98]

I am so sorry to hear your kitty might have cancer.
We recently lost a kitty to fibrosarcoma. But, Halo's was a very large tumor and very aggressive. She had 2 surgeries to remove the tumors but they came back faster and larger. (Please keep in mind, they were very large, not pea-sized like your cats').

It sounds like you have caught it much earlier than we did. So, I would imagine your outcome will be better.

I'm not a vet, but from what I've been told, the "different" lung x-ray may have nothing to do with fibrosarcoma. Our vet explained that fibrosarcoma isn't a cancer that gets into the bloodstream and goes to other organs. Instead, it grows roots into surrounding tissue. The roots are microscopic and almost impossible to remove completely. Our vet did not recommend chemo or radiation, but that could be because Halo's cancer was so aggressive.

You can read more about sweet, gentle Halo here: http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=162407&highlight=halo

She was diagnosed in May. Had surgery in May and again in July. We had to let her go in September. :(

[Clairebear8621]

Thank you so much for all your comments... I do have a picture, but I'm at my friends destination wedding and I don't have one I can post. I'm trying to enjoy myself, but it's so difficult when I just want to be with her in case she's not ok.
Her name is Claire... I call her Claire-bear..
I guess the only thing I can hope for is the little lumps come back just benign.
Thanks again and I'll post back with results from Tuesday.

[Medusa]

I've not had experience w/this but I just wanted to say that my prayers are going up for your Claire-bear. It's tough waiting for answers and making decisions when our sweet furbabies trust us completely to take good care of them and make the hurt go away. Praying for a good outcome.....keep the faythe. (((HUGS))) :love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear this.:( I don't have any advice except to enjoy the time that you have left with her. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way. Please take care. (((HUGS)))

[maerlyn]

Like kuhio98, I, too, have had experience with this awful disease; my Morganna went to the Bridge because of it several years ago. In her case, the tumor was on her rump and was caused by the 3-year rabies vaccine. She had a surgery for a biopsy, and another to remove the tumor. When the tumor returned the following year, we were referred to a veterinary surgeon who removed most of Morganna's hind leg. She was 'clean' for nearly two years when the tumor returned a second time. I made the decision to keep her as comfortable as possible for as long as possible, then I had her sent to the Bridge.

My understanding of fibrosarcoma is much like kuhio's: it doesn't spread, it just grows. In other words, it seems unlikely that it's in her lungs - to me, at least, but I'm no vet or vet tech. I also wonder that there are two of them. Morganna's tumor was caused by an excessive reaction to the adjuvant in the 3-year vaccine; Halo's was caused by the injection of her microchip. What has Claire had that might cause fibrosarcoma? I hope with all my heart that I'm right and the vet is wrong. Please keep us posted on what happens. A prayer for Claire has just been said.

[mrspunkysmom]

Mr. Spunky had fibrosarcoma 5 years back. He had the surgery and it's not come back, but I caught it early. It was malignant, but has not re-appeared. The doc said she couldn't predict what would happen.

Prayers for you and Claire-bear

[phesina]

Prayers for you and your cat, Clairebear. God be with you both.

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[Clairebear8621]

She came out of surgery fine... and I should know what the little lumps are by tomorrow or Thursday.. I got home from the wedding Sunday and she just ran around like she always does. But as soon as I saw her, I just picked her up, kissed her and started crying. It's so nice to not feel so alone.... Thank you for all your support, prayers and well wishes... God has a plan... He brought her into my life when I needed her the most.... and I have given her a very loving home. I'll let you know as soon as I know something. Again, thank you soooooooo much, from the bottom of my heart, it makes me feel so much better!!

[Clairebear8621]

Question:

Does this make you not want to give the vaccinations?? She was late getting her vaccinations so that's when I noticed the knots... When I took her in, the dr said why don't we wait about the vaccinations till we know what this is. He went ahead with the Rabies, and I think it made her lymph nodes swell cause I found two more lumps, then I did some research and it seemed the knots were placed exactly where her lymph nodes would be. I am assuming that's what it was since I asked the dr to check her over, make sure there aren't any more and they didn't say anything about those.

[Karen]

Awww, glad she's feeling okay! And we'll keep up the prayers for a good result!

[maerlyn]

Emphatically, NO! The chance of fibrosarcoma does not make me less inclined to have my cats vaccinated. And while kuhio98's Halo developed it from her microchip, Lisa is adamant still that companion animals should be microchipped. The chances of fibrosarcoma are minuscule when compared with the danger of rabies. (There's one estimate that only 1 in 10,000 cats will develop the tumor from the vaccine. Of course, if you, like I, have that one. . .the statistic becomes meaningless.)

Let me ask you: Are the lumps where the needle was injected? If not, I would think that this is not fibrosarcoma. The tumor usually begins where the vaccine is injected - this is why I said before that I wonder if it really is fibrosarcoma - if it is, there would be, I think (again, I'm not a vet or vet tech) only the one lump. And as Lisa pointed out, this tumor simply grows but doesn't get into the bloodstream or the lymph system.

What vaccine did Claire have? What my vet (very, very experienced and keeps current)told me is that there were two vaccines (while my Morganna was going through this) that were suspect: the FeLV vaccine and the 3-year rabies vaccine. The 3-year rabies shot is ok for dogs but should not be given to cats. If Claire had the 1-year rabies, then it's even less likely. to me. that the lumps are fibrosarcoma. If she had the 3-year rabies shot *and* there's a lump at the injection site, then I'm worried. But if she had the 1-year shot and/or the lumps are not at the injection site, I think there's hope.

The waiting is horrible, I know; we want results now - waiting just gives the fear a chance to expand. Please keep us posted; Claire is in my prayers.

[Clairebear8621]

The knots were not located at any injection site... I just refuse to believe she is sick. : ) Happy thoughts!
As far as the vaccinations... I guess I still need to get them. Claire never goes outside, she is never around other animals.. The dr just wanted to wait till we know for sure what all this is. I was just curious about what others thought about vaccinations.

[maerlyn]

I'm still feeling that you're not dealing with fibrosarcoma, although I have read recently that *any* injection (sometimes even trauma) can cause it. I've read and reread what you wrote, and your experience is so very different from what Morganna suffered with fibrosarcoma that I just feel it's something else - and I pray that I'm right. Prayers for Claire continuing. . . .:love:

[Medusa]

My late vet believed that indoor pets who aren't vaccinated live longer. So I stopped vaccinating mine ever since, except once b/c my cat needed to be professionally groomed and they would not groom her unless she was UTD on all her shots. She was 20 years old at that time and lived almost another 2 years. Also, should you ever need to board your cat, they will insist on it. Fortunately, I've never had to. My last cat to go to the Bridge was nearly 20 when he died but he had bladder cancer, something totally different from fibrosarcoma. Please understand that I'm not advising you to stop all shots and I'm not starting a debate, just merely telling you what my late vet believed and what I have done b/c all of my cats are indoor cats. They never go outdoors. I'm sure whatever decision you make will be the right one for you and Claire-bear. :)

[maerlyn]

Mary makes excellent points; the only vaccine I would ask about is the distemper vaccine because my vet told me that it's so highly contagious that you could bring it into the house on your shoes. Not very likely, I know, but still. My housecats all enjoy being outside for a little while, and Shadow and Smokey live outside, so I don't have the luxury of a choice.

[Clairebear8621]

Thank you so much for your prayers and positive thoughts.... There was NO cancer in the little knots. I've never been so happy! She is doing well. We go back to the vet on Friday to have her stitches removed.
Thanks again for all the prayers and support! Its very comforting that everyone is here.

[kuhio98]

Thank you so much for your prayers and positive thoughts.... There was NO cancer in the little knots. I've never been so happy! She is doing well. We go back to the vet on Friday to have her stitches removed.
Thanks again for all the prayers and support! Its very comforting that everyone is here.


Tears of joy! This is the best news I've heard in a long time.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/kuhio98/fw.gifhttp://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/kuhio98/fw.gifhttp://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/kuhio98/fw.gifhttp://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/kuhio98/fw.gif

[Medusa]

Oh what wonderful news! I can only imagine how relieved you must be! (((HUGS))) to you and gentle chin scritchies to Claire-bear. :love:

[Catty1]

How WONDERFUL! Give her hugs and belly rubs, and kiss on her lovely forehead!:D:love::love:

[maerlyn]

Praise be to God! What a relief, what wonderful news. Thank You, Lord!!:love:

[krazyaboutkatz]

This is wonderful news!!!:D

[Karen]

Yay! Good news! :) :D :) Now for that picture you mentioned ...

[Freedom]

Woo Hoo! You must be thrilled! Feel free to do a happy dance, most of us will join you, lol! ( A few folks w/ casts, healing from surgery etc will sit out the dance, but still share your happiness.)

[katladyd]

Oh, I am so happy for you and Claire. Yes, I'm doing the Happy Dance!:D

[Clairebear8621]

I think the dr was even surprised too... He told me that if he were a betting man, he would have swore that's what it was. He said that he's just as puzzled, but my prayers were answered and all of yours too!! Thanks so much!!! Ok, so, how do I post a picture and I will post one when I get home.

[phesina]

Oh what wonderful news! :love::love::love::love::love::love::love: Thank God!

[mrspunkysmom]

That is just fantastic!