A few weeks ago we noticed our 10 year old tortie cat had lost some weight and she stopped eating. We took her to the vet and they gave her fluids, a shot for nausea, an anti inflammatory shot, and a steroid shot but she was very jaundice so there was definitely something going on. Her appetite has been up and down and we went ahead to do the ultrasound because we didn’t notice a huge difference after the treatments. These are the results from the fine needle aspirate and I’m just trying to make some more sense of the results.
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Can any vets help me decipher this pathology report?
- Thread starter ndahl
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No vets on here but some my be familiar but always ask your vet first
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I'm so sorry N ndahl .
None of us here, are actual Vets.
Only a large group of cat guardians, and members, who exchange ideas and learn from each other.
Is there a particular question that you are asking about.?
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The Pathology Report states:
The single intact sheet of epithelioid cells do not exhibit dramatic atypia and mesothelial origin cannot be excluded however, the evidence of necrosis in conjunction with the clinical history of dramatic weight loss is most concerning for neoplastic process.
Biliary carcinoma or a poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma would be differentials to consider.
Obvious well differentiated hepatocytes were not observed.
Histopathology is recommended for a definitive diagnosis
Two additional Heska pathologists were consulted on this case.
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The Pathology Report...that you attached above...says that your 10 year old tortie cat may have (neoplasia)...uncontrolled growth of cells which are either malignant or benign, tumour cells, but that they want to do an additional 'biopsy'...to reach a 'definitive diagnosis'.
The pathologists are telling the vets to consider 'billiary carcinoma', (which is cancer in the bile ducts), or a 'poorly differentiated hepatocelluar carcinoma'...which is cancer tumour in the liver.
I'm so very sorry.
Did the Vets not tell you what they suspect this to be?
Sending you mega Health vibes for your sweet girl cat.
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Hi. I am not a veterinarian.
From what I see, it looks like the slides submitted were very bloody. As much blood as a blood smear. They saw necrotic cells, which are dead cells, like when skin dies from a snake bite, they saw enough in this to lead them to believe, with the history that there could be a nasty tumor on the liver or bile duct. On the slides they saw old blood as well as fresh so that would mean it isn't from the trauma of the needle. some of it could be, but not the older looking blood cells that are degrading. They don't know the exact type of cancer. Some of this diagnosis of possibilities is based on the history that your veterinarian gave them. They are asking for actual tissue samples to look at next.
So, this of course isn't great to find out. But pathologists can be wrong. Needle biopsy isn't the most accurate diagnostic procedure as it is only showing what is in the area that was sampled.
If an ultrasound was done, that should have been able to give the veterinarian a good idea of the size of the mass. That being said, removing a mass from the liver, no matter what it might be is no simple task.
Depending on what you want to do and how far you want to take this, as well as how your cat is feeling, your next step should be a board-certified oncologist. Sometimes with chemotherapy a tumor can be reduced in size. There are many different protocols for chemotherapy in cats. An oncologist would be able to let you know what to do next.
This is not something a regular general practice veterinarian should be handling.
Very important to ask that they place a feeding tube if your cat does have surgery.
A few things to consider is that chemotherapy is usually expensive and requires frequent veterinary visits. Cats do usually handle the chemo well. It rarely is a cure, but some cats can get a good quality of several months to even years with treatment. This all depends on the type of cancer.
Another important thing to consider is how your cat will react to frequent veterinary visits.
It is also important to discuss the anesthetic risk for your cat if undergoing anesthesia. The sicker the cat, the more risk.
I am sorry you and your cat are in this situation. I would not make any decisions or start anything without a consult with an oncologist. Bring copies of your report and all the labs that have been done and go for a consult.
From what I see, it looks like the slides submitted were very bloody. As much blood as a blood smear. They saw necrotic cells, which are dead cells, like when skin dies from a snake bite, they saw enough in this to lead them to believe, with the history that there could be a nasty tumor on the liver or bile duct. On the slides they saw old blood as well as fresh so that would mean it isn't from the trauma of the needle. some of it could be, but not the older looking blood cells that are degrading. They don't know the exact type of cancer. Some of this diagnosis of possibilities is based on the history that your veterinarian gave them. They are asking for actual tissue samples to look at next.
So, this of course isn't great to find out. But pathologists can be wrong. Needle biopsy isn't the most accurate diagnostic procedure as it is only showing what is in the area that was sampled.
If an ultrasound was done, that should have been able to give the veterinarian a good idea of the size of the mass. That being said, removing a mass from the liver, no matter what it might be is no simple task.
Depending on what you want to do and how far you want to take this, as well as how your cat is feeling, your next step should be a board-certified oncologist. Sometimes with chemotherapy a tumor can be reduced in size. There are many different protocols for chemotherapy in cats. An oncologist would be able to let you know what to do next.
This is not something a regular general practice veterinarian should be handling.
Very important to ask that they place a feeding tube if your cat does have surgery.
A few things to consider is that chemotherapy is usually expensive and requires frequent veterinary visits. Cats do usually handle the chemo well. It rarely is a cure, but some cats can get a good quality of several months to even years with treatment. This all depends on the type of cancer.
Another important thing to consider is how your cat will react to frequent veterinary visits.
It is also important to discuss the anesthetic risk for your cat if undergoing anesthesia. The sicker the cat, the more risk.
I am sorry you and your cat are in this situation. I would not make any decisions or start anything without a consult with an oncologist. Bring copies of your report and all the labs that have been done and go for a consult.
