Lymphoma in the Esophagus

Mia is my grey tiger striped domestic short hair. She was left on a door step in a box at 6 weeks ago, I have had her every since.....in July she will be 13 years old. [ATTACHMENT=582]image.jpg (653k. jpg file)[/ATTACHMENT]My poor Mia had not been feeling well, and for a week or so was "vomiting" up foam very once in a while. Then a week ago, she threw up the foam about 12x times in several minutes. My poor girl cats the carrier and will claw my eyes out not to go in it, however, in this episode I put the carrier down and climbed in, I knew something was wrong. Went to the emergency specialist hospital ( ASC) as it was 11pm on a Saturday night. They were great, said she was low on oxygen, and fluids, put a catheter in, plus IV and put her in a special oxygen chamber. They did X-ray, blood work, and lower abdominal ultrasound. Found nothing glaring at all, so thought might be thyroid. I took Mia home the next afternoon and she again threw up a bunch of times. This time I videoed it as the Vet asked, and sent it over. He though video looked as though she had something lodged in her throat and said it get her in the following day for an endoscope. So following morning after lots if blood shed (mine- she really HATES the carrier) she had her procedure and I could take her home. Surgeon said she has lesions and bumps in esophagus that could have been infection from an object being stuck that she moved through, but he said they looked abnormal so he biopsy them. He mentioned that cats do not usually get esophageal cancer as humans do, so home we went with some meds for her throat and some pain meds. 2 days later call for results and it's lymphoma in the esophagus, extremely rare and Incurable. He would not give more information said I should speak to the vet oncologist, I have an appt on Tuesday. I have spoken with Mia's regular vet who agreed with meeting with oncologist, to seek prognosis I and protocol, as she has never seen lymphoma in the esophagus to give her opinion. My vet knows Mia is not a good, or easier carrier cat (she has to be sedated at vet normally, just for check ups because she is so stressed in carrier she gets very aggressive and violent) and that it usually takes her 2-3 days to decompress after a carrier trip. Sorry after this long winded statement, I'm looking to see if anyone 'a cat has had this, did they go with chemo or just prednisone. I do not want Mia to suffer and I will not let her quality if life be miserable in her last however many months on this earth, just so I can have a few more months with her.

I am so sad and devastated at this situation. My heart breaks when I look at my baby girl and know that's she is dying.

Hi there, I am so sorry to hear about Mia's diagnosis. My heart goes out to you.

It's difficult finding much info on this particular place, her esophagus, but one factor that is commonly found to be the underlying cause is felv positive, and fiv as well for some reason. This doesn't mean all cats who get this are positive, but seems to be quite often.

Here is a quote from something I read about it.

Various treatment options are available for lymphoma including surgery, drug therapy and radiation therapy. The treatment choice will depend on the site and form of the tumour, and the availability of the treatment options. In many cats the response to therapy can be very good and long lasting. Although uncommon, some cases of lymphoma will go into complete and permanent remission and thus some cats can effectively be 'cured'.

Surgery and/or chemotherapy are the two most common treatment options used, but it is very difficult to predict which cats will respond well to therapy for lymphoma. It can be helpful, especially with chemotherapy, to use trial therapy as the initial response to chemotherapy (how well the tumour responds in the first few weeks) is often the best predictor of long-term response.

I think the last paragraph is an excellent choice of options personally. See how she does during a trial period of chemo, how she responds to it. This can be very helpful in deciding how to proceed.

Thank you very much for your response. It means a lot that everyone here cares for each other and their "babies". Support is definitely needed and appreciated.

I believe Mia has been tested and all her blood work came back good. At this point I not too concerned with the how or why, just because it's too late for those questions. I'm concerned with the treatment, and prognosis.

Once I have my meeting with the oncologist I'll update. Mia definitely seems herself now (with meds for tummy), laying around, playing, eating more, climbing all over my counters and she hasn't thrown up since the endoscope and meds, and she is only getting pate style food, as tawny thing with bites or chucks was getting stuck in the lesions in her esophagus.

Results from chemo are really mixed.  We have one kitty here that had an inoperable large cell lymphoma in his stomach and he has been in remission for two years.  Others, including ones with small cell which is less aggressive, haven't been so lucky.  You just kind of have to make your own decision about chemo, there really isn't a right or wrong decision.

Denice, Thank you for that. How long were your kitty's, the one that did well and the other ones that did not have the same results. I know location and size usually is a factor, but I guess it's not exact.

I am , I guess conflicted, with this decision. I speak with oncologist tomorrow but I know my girl, and if the chemo isn't going to guarantee remission (which it usually doesn't) I have to weigh the options of traumatizing her with weekly carrier trips (not easy and I get very injured and it takes her about 3-4 days to decompress from that) for 6-8 weeks and then biweekly for another 20 weeks, she will be miserable and won't be relaxing or enjoying her last, however long. I mean I'm sure the oncologist will have her view, which I hope doesn't play on owners emotions for financial reasons, I want truths.

Thank you again. I appreciate anyone responding with their experiences, directly or indirectly, just to get more info on possible effects, results, time frames, etc.

Medeamagic said:

Denice, Thank you for that. How long were your kitty's, the one that did well and the other ones that did not have the same results. I know location and size usually is a factor, but I guess it's not exact.

I am , I guess conflicted, with this decision. I speak with oncologist tomorrow but I know my girl, and if the chemo isn't going to guarantee remission (which it usually doesn't) I have to weigh the options of traumatizing her with weekly carrier trips (not easy and I get very injured and it takes her about 3-4 days to decompress from that) for 6-8 weeks and then biweekly for another 20 weeks, she will be miserable and won't be relaxing or enjoying her last, however long. I mean I'm sure the oncologist will have her view, which I hope doesn't play on owners emotions for financial reasons, I want truths.

Thank you again. I appreciate anyone responding with their experiences, directly or indirectly, just to get more info on possible effects, results, time frames, etc.

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Honestly, the best approach IS to say just that to the oncologist.

It's so much easier on them AND you if you start them off understanding that you don't want anything sugar coated, this is part of their education as well, to learn how to deal with people since they are talking about someone else's beloved pet, but the simple truth and their honest outlook and opinions are what you want to be told. For instance I ask them, to be candid and blunt, what would they do if it were THEIR cat.

Some people will put their pets through much more than what is right and humane, and in the best interest for them rather than their pet, so making certain he understands what you want from him right from the start.

Good luck, let us know  

Just one more thing. When my daughter was 19, she developed a very rare condition called Achalasia, where her esophagus muscles would not push food down into her stomach, she would often have to bring it back up because it wouldn't go down, just sit there.

Her esophagus became damaged due to food particles sitting there, and had areas like sores from erosion. It was very, very scary.

What I am getting at here is, going through all this with her I was well educated that the esophagus heals quite well, and pretty fast too. I worried about permanent damage and was explained to in detail how it is one of our organs that can sort of renew itself like our lungs can.

Just something to consider, that not all hope is lost here.

Catwoman thank you very much for that. And I did not know that about the esophagus. That is actually good to hear, poor little Mia was suffering when eating but she's been throw up free for almost a week. I'm so happy about that. I felt awful for her and being unable to help her made me, helpless. So maybe between meds and faster healing organ maybe her lil throat is repairing itself.

Thank you again, and I will absolutely keep you and very one else who reads this informed.

Medeamagic said:

Catwoman thank you very much for that. And I did not know that about the esophagus. That is actually good to hear, poor little Mia was suffering when eating but she's been throw up free for almost a week. I'm so happy about that. I felt awful for her and being unable to help her made me, helpless. So maybe between meds and faster healing organ maybe her lil throat is repairing itself.

Thank you again, and I will absolutely keep you and very one else who reads this informed.

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Let's hope so!!    sending positive vibes!