Mammary tumor in Cats: Signs, Causes and Treatment

Cell proliferation within the body results in a tumour. Mammary Tumor in cats are caused by cell multiplication, which results in an absurdly large number of cells in the mammary glands.

They may be benign (not cancerous) or cancerous (malignant). Male and female cats of all ages can develop mammary tumours, but older and middle-aged female cats are more likely to do so.

Related: Brain Tumor in Cats

symptoms of Mammary Tumor in cats

In the cat’s mammary chain, mammary gland cancers typically manifest as a lump or swelling. In other words, the lump typically appears along your cat’s abdomen, between the breast tissue and nipples. The bulk may be large or small, diffuse or well-defined.

There is a chance that sores could develop and that the nipples will discharge.Other symptoms of sickness, such as breathing problems when cancer invades the lungs, may appear when metastasis—that is, when the tumor has spread—happened. Lymph node swelling may also be seen by your veterinarian.

In the advanced phases of the illness, the cats may have weight loss and immune system deterioration, which can result in systemic infections.

causes of mammary tumor in cats

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact causes of feline mammary tumors. The development of this type of cancer is genetically predisposed in some cats.

The likelihood of your cat having a mammary tumor increases with age. Exposure to carcinogens, which include pesticides and other cancer-causing substances, may possibly be the reason.

Exposure to the hormone estrogen from intercourse is the most well-known cause of breast tumors. Your cat’s propensity for acquiring cancer can be managed, even though you can’t completely prevent it.

Early spaying lowers the amount of oestrogen and progesterone that your cat is exposed to. The abnormal growth of mammary tumors in cats can be brought on by an excess of these hormones.

Your cat’s risk of getting mammary tumors would be greatly reduced by having its ovaries and uterus surgically removed by being spayed at a young age by a veterinarian.

However, if the malignant condition has already progressed throughout the body of your cat, spaying cannot be utilized as a treatment for cat mammary gland tumors. Because of this, it’s crucial to spay your cat before the first heat cycle.

diagnosis of mammary tumor in cats

Microscopic tissue examination is necessary for a precise diagnosis of mammary cancers in cats. In the veterinarian’s clinic, noninvasive procedures like a fine-needle aspirate (collection of fluid from the tumor) and cytology (screen for abnormal cells) provide speedy results.

Despite this, a biopsy, or tissue sample, will still be necessary to diagnose this type of tumor because cytology tests are not always accurate. Your veterinarian will send the tissue to a specialized laboratory where it will be analyzed by a pathologist.

This biopsy report should provide the following information

• The type of the tumor – whether it be malignant or benign

• The origin of the tumor – which cells and area of the body the tumor started from

• The grade of the tumor –  how normal or cancerous the cells appear to be. An higher grade being more cancerous.

• The stage of the tumor – how big the tumor is and how much it has  spread.

Depending on the cancer’s grade, further procedures like chest X-rays, abdomen ultrasounds, and occasionally lymph node needle sampling may also be used. These tests are used to determine whether the initial tumor has migrated to other bodily regions.

treatment of Mammary Tumor in Cats

By the time a breast tumor is found, it has typically already become malignant. This indicates that in order to stop the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body, surgery is typically the next step. This involves removing all affected tissues.

The decision of which mass to remove is useless when there are many masses, one of which is benign and the other malignant. In all likelihood, the vet would take both out. The veterinary surgeon can even advise getting rid of the entire mammary chain and its associated lymph nodes.

recovery after treatment

Following surgery, your veterinarian could advise chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

It is crucial to note that this sort of tumor is seldom cured after it has become malignancy, thus if a complete cure is the objective, complete surgical removal followed by chemotherapy is probably the best course of action.

Recurring tumors or ongoing spreading are other possibilities for the cat. The cat typically only survives for a year or less.