Common Questions About Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs are compounds that are toxic to cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be given as an IV injection or an injection under the skin. It can also be given orally.
How does chemotherapy work?
Cancer cells generally multiply very rapidly. Most chemotherapy drugs work by damaging the ability of these rapidly growing cells to divide, eventually killing them.
What are the benefits of chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is used by veterinarians to treat cancers in four basic but different ways:
Chemotherapy is the most effective single treatment for some types of cancer, offering the best opportunity for remission while at the same time preserving a good quality of life. For example, lymphoma, also called lymphosarcoma, reacts well to chemotherapy.
Common Signs and Causes of Cancer: Part 2
Performing a monthly checkup of your pet at home is recommended to set a familiar baseline. By paying attention to the specific areas listed below, early detection of cancer becomes a practical and attainable goal for all pets. First, pay attention to any lumps or swellings in the skin. If these lumps or masses seem to grow over a period of time, they must be investigated further by your primary care veterinarian. Lymph nodes in the skin can become swollen quickly and indicate that lymphosarcoma may be present. Skin cancers are the most common type of cancer that we see in dogs. Any new skin masses that grow need to be addressed. In feline patients, breast cancer is almost always aggressive and malignant. Any skin lumps in the mammary region need to be addressed in both dogs and cats.
Common Signs of Cancer: Part 1
Pet owners want to understand and be aware of any possible signs and causes of cancer. Below are a few behaviors to monitor. When in doubt, always consult with your primary care veterinarian regarding any changes in behavior or physical appearance. Monitoring your pet’s appetite is an important way to determine if your pet is ill. Changes in the appetite can be the first sign that there is something wrong. Appetite changes can occur for numerous reasons. Tumors in the mouth or stomach can make it difficult for a pet to chew or swallow. Cancer in the liver or kidneys can interfere with the function of these organs and make the pet feel nauseated so that there is no appetite present.
Understanding Leukemia
White blood cells are an important part of the immune system in both animals and humans. When these cells, which come in various types, begin to divide out of control in the blood or bone marrow, they become the cancer known as leukemia. This type of cancer can be either acute or chronic.
Acute cancer cells are immature, while chronic cancerous cells are more mature. The acute cells tend to be more aggressive because they are more readily able to divide and do so at a rapid rate. In this type of cancer, the bone marrow is unable to produce healthy cells due to the presence of the cancerous cells overcrowding the marrow. It also tends to have poor responses to chemotherapy.
Radiation Therapy and Bone Tumors
ACCC’s Jarred Lyons, DVM, Board-Certified in Radiation Oncology, presented “Bone Tumors: Surgery Is Not Feasible or Desired, So What’s Next?” at the second session of the summer webinar series for veterinarians, “How to Navigate Through the Cancer Diagnosis.” His detailed overview of the types of bone cancers typically found in dogs included state-of-the-art treatment protocols, current research reports, and insights into his own experience treating animals with cancer over the past nearly two decades in both California and Florida.
ACCC Surgeons Answer Common Questions in Webinar
ACCC’s Tammi Ruddle, DVM, Board-Certified in Surgery, and Robin Holtsinger, DVM, Board-Certified in Surgery, presented The Five Most Commonly Asked Questions of Our Surgical Team at the June webinar held for referring veterinarians across Florida. Merck Animal Health once again is the sponsor of the series. In summary, they led a lively and candid discussion about challenges faced by surgeons solely dedicated to the care of cancer in pets. Read on for a few of the key points they reviewed.
The Use of Chemotherapy in the Fight Against Cancer
Cancer has been referred to as “the immortal cell” because cancer cells have mutated and developed six “hallmarks of cancer.” This mutation allows cancer cells to continually divide, invade tissues and spread throughout the body. When critical cell receptors are changed by cancer cells, the body’s normal immune system is no longer able to remove these wayward cells.
Chemotherapy is one of the main strategies used to fight back with many types of cancer. Different drugs are designed to interfere with cancer cells during different points of the cell cycle, such as DNA replication, cell division, and cell signaling pathways. By studying the way cancer cells mutate and originate, more targeted chemotherapeutics are being developed to help in the fight against cancer.
What is that Bump on My Pet’s Eyelid?
Benign masses called “meibomian gland adenomas,” which originate from normal glands on the eyelids, are the most commonly diagnosed mass on the eyelid in dogs. The second most common type of mass found on the eyelid contains melanocytes, which are cells that produce pigment. Approximately 67 to 82% of these masses are benign, and 13-37% are malignant melanomas (skin cancer). Eyelid melanoma in cats is rare; therefore, little research is available.
Pigmented masses on the inner eye tissue or conjunctiva are usually more aggressive melanomas. The first treatment of choice in these cases is surgery with cryotherapy (freezing of the tissue).
Understanding Leukemia
Hearing a cancer diagnosis for your pet can be scary and confusing. Therefore, understanding the terms and the science behind various types of cancer can go a long way in creating HOPE and an ability to make informed decisions about treatment options. In this blog, we will be discussing leukemia, which is a cancer that attacks the immune system’s white blood cells.
When the various types of cells within the immune system begin to divide out of control, they become leukemia. Traditionally, this type of cancer is located in the bone marrow or blood and results in the overproduction of white blood cells. The bone marrow is unable to produce healthy cells due to the presence of the cancerous cells overcrowding the marrow.
Credentials Matter
In addition to completing four years at a veterinary medical school to become DMVs, our Veterinary Oncology Specialists (Diplomates) – the largest team of oncology specialists in the nation – have completed an additional four to six years of education and experiences to establish expertise in distinct areas of oncology. Most of our doctors are “board-certified,” which requires extensive training and course caseload, published research, at least one year of internship experience, and three to five years of hospital residency focusing on a specific specialty. A rigorous exam must be passed for certification. These professionals have then reached the pinnacle of veterinarian achievement in training and are considered “Diplomates” as recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association Board of Veterinary Specialties.
