Feline Mast Cell Disease

Feline mast cell disease is a type of cancer that affects cats. It produces skin tumors that are called mass cell tumors, and it is the second most common cancer in cats, especially older cats. If you identify the symptoms of mast cell disease early, then you can initialize the proper treatments to remove the tumors before they cause further problems.

  1. Description

    • As part of a cat's immune system, mast cells attack parasites or other intruders that invade his body by releasing toxins. Although mast cells are helpful, sometimes they multiply rapidly and release toxins into the system unnecessarily. This rapid production causes tumors to form on the cat's body. The tumors can be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous). Usually most are benign in cats.

    Types

    • There are two forms of mast cell tumors in cats: the cutaneous form and the visceral form. A cat can suffer from one form, or both. In the cutaneous form, the tumors generally appear around the head and neck, and there may be one or multiple tumors present. In the visceral form, the tumors are internal, and the most common areas affected are the spleen, intestines and liver.

    Symptoms

    • You will notice a mass on the skin that appears as a raised pink lump. If the lump is massaged or rubbed, it may swell due to the release of histamines by mast cells present in the lump. Also a cat with mast cell disease may display symptoms such as vomiting, weight loss and appetite loss.

    Diagnosis

    • There are several tests used to diagnose feline mast cell disease. Blood tests can indicate if mast cells are in the blood, or if red blood cell counts are decreasing, both which indicate a mast cell problem. Blood marrow tests are used to observe the white blood cells and to determine if mast cells are spreading. A lymph node aspiration test uses a needle to check if the blood flowing through the lymph nodes has mast cells present. Also, x-rays are used to observe the spleen and lymph nodes for inflammation caused by an increase in mast cells.

    Treatment

    • The treatments for feline mast cell disease include surgery to remove any tumors, and chemotherapy and radiation to kill any remaining cancerous cells. There is also a surgery treatment known as cryosurgery. This involves freezing tumors to kill any cancerous tissue. A newer treatment is chemotherapy ointment, known as CCNU, which is used on the cat's skin; some cats respond well to this newer treatment.