Quote Originally Posted by fragrancehound View Post
Last week I felt a large, hard lump by my cat's back/hip area near his tail. I took him to the vet over the weekend and she ran a series of tests including blood work, a chest x-ray and a needle aspiration. Both the blood work and the chest x-ray came back fine. No problems. I am still waiting on the results for the needle aspiration but the vet thinks it might possibly be fibrosarcoma or even hardened scar tissue of some sort. She can't really tell until she gets the results from this last test but she doesn't sound very optimistic because this lump is so hard and not soft like other lumps or bumps. She said if it is fibrosarcoma she will have to call in a specialist to have this tumor removed which can be very costly, possibly over $1,000. I would do anything I possibly can to save my baby's life but I am wondering from a financial standpoint how much can surgery and treatment run? I've spent over $400 already with this last visit. I guess I want to get a better idea financially what I need to save so I am prepared.

I have been crying so much already. I just can't imagine my cat being sick. He does not act sick at all nor does he demonstrate the usual signs of an ill cat. He is using the liter box w/o any problems, eats and drinks just fine, and is playful. His coat is in excellent condition too, even the vet remarked how silky it was to the touch. If he had fibrosarcoma wouldn't there be some indication of it in the blood work?

Anyway, I'm wondering does anyone here have any experience with fibrosarcoma? What should I expect? Everthing I have read so far has been pretty dismal.
I have an 7yo cat Chloe that had a pea-sized lump in her flank, I had it surgically removed, biopsy siad it was fibrosarcoma, and vet said if she had known, would have amputated b/c these are notorious for coming back aggressively. In a year it had regrown to 1/2 a pear on her flank.

Had a consult at a local speciality clinic's oncology dept. Diagnosis was poor on success rate, but they were willing to x-ray, blood work and MRI her, amputate (with no promises on survival or cancer remission) even though it may progress to her spine area, and follow up with chemo, etc. Bill would be about 3K+. I have insurance and would be willing - but to torture her with all of this, and the chances of survival being very small... decided her quality of life was more important for the short time she has left.

Since her tumor was bursting through her skin... I was desperate, as that signal the end, pretty much... and came across an option: NEOPLASENE from Buck Mountain Botanicals

http://www.buckmountainbotanicals.ne...eoplasene.html

I called them, got the name of vets familiar with this protocal in my area, and took Chloe there. Have been doing the topical treatment with oral since Nov 1. 2012. Its been 3 weeks and she has gotten lethargic and lost her appetite... but once I gave her fluids, she perked up actually tried to eat something today.

Note - I know how to give sub-Q fluids (lactaters ringer solution hi flow needle high gauge = smaller size) b/c I had cats with kidney problems...

Its a LOT of work... DAILY dressing of open wound where the tumor has been eaten away by the Neo (cleaning with hydrogen peroxide, dabbing away dead tumor tissue, wrapping in gauze - you need help holding your cat, and have to be VERY careful to secure the dressing WITHOUT causing rubbing on other tissue - and causing more wounds), keeping wieght up with special foods liquids and hi-cal paste if required, giving sub-Q fluids if dehydration happens due to lack of appetite)... but its FAR CHEAPER than the surgery, and my cat keeps her leg.

Its going okay so far... its pretty gory gross looking BUT I love my cat, so I am dealing with this... and I should be able to dress wounds like a paramedic when I am done.

Let me know if you have Qs and I will share all my info with you... I was in the same situation and desperate to do something aside from surgery or a deathwatch.