Prognosis for Lymphoma in Cats

Lymphoma is a type of cancer of the white blood cells, which occurs more often in cats than in humans or dogs. According to Doctors Foster and Smith, this condition is common in cats that have feline leukemia virus. Depending on the type and location of the lymphoma, it can be successfully treated with chemotherapy.

  1. Types

    • Lymphoma occurs in several different forms. According to the Animal Emergency Center, the most common form in cats appears in the digestive tract, including the stomach, intestines, liver and nearby lymph nodes. Cats may also get mediastinal lymphoma, which affects a group of lymph nodes in the chest and is most common in cats with FeLV. Kidney lymphoma, bone marrow lymphoma or leukemia, and lymphoma of the external lymph nodes can also occur. Some rare cases involve the skin, brain, spinal cord or nose.

    Symptoms

    • Feline lymphoma symptoms depend on the site of the cancer. Cats with lymphoma of the digestive tract may lose weight, have rough hair, lose their appetite, and have digestive problems such as diarrhea and vomiting. Cats with mediastinal lymphoma may seem to have respiratory illnesses and suffer from fluid in the lungs. Lymphoma of the kidneys may cause signs of kidney failure, while leukemia usually causes decreased blood cell counts.

    Treatment

    • Lymphoma in cats is usually treated with chemotherapy, though some cases also require surgery. This type of cancer is very responsive to chemotherapy treatment. According to the Animal Emergency Center, up to 75 percent of cats treated with chemotherapy go into remission. Cats in remission have longer lives than untreated cats and may live for years.

    Recovery

    • Young cats with no sign of FeLV are most likely to recover from lymphoma with treatment. This is particularly true for cats with mediastinal forms of the illness. Cats whose central nervous systems have been affected often have poor prognoses. FeLV decreases the chance of survival. Many other forms of the illness have an unpredictable prognosis. Some cats do not respond to chemotherapy at all and suffer from rapid disease progression.

    Considerations

    • Cats tolerate chemotherapy relatively well, but they do experience side effects, such as digestive problems, tiredness, loss of appetite and loss of whiskers. Cats under treatment for lymphoma may also develop infections more easily. Serious side effects occur in a small percentage of cats and may indicate the need to try a different chemotherapy drug or an alternative treatment.