Is chemo worth it for senior cat with large cell Lymthoma?

[riddler_cat]

My Senior cat Fado was just diagnosed with large cell lymphoma around his intestines. He does not act sick, he's been symptom free aside from weight loss, diarrhea and some blood in his stool.

The vet guesses he'll maybe have 1-2 month to live without treatment. We don't know his exact age as he was a rescue cat, but we think his age is between 14 and 16. The CHOP protocol treatment is what the vet recommends. This would involve weekly chemo treatments.

Fado doesn't like traveling to the vet and meows a lot on the way there and on the way back. It's a 30 minute drive to the chemo facility.

I'm wondering if anyone has gone through this and if you think it is worth putting him through the weekly vet visits and chemo treatments for what could amount to 10 more months of life on average? He obviously isn't going to understand why I'm taking him to the vet each week. I'd appreciate any advice from people who went through this treatment with their cat and if they think it was worth it.

Thanks.

 

[Margot Lane]

Did your vet say he was too far along for chemo pills? Are there any traveling vets where you are?

 

[riddler_cat]

The vet said there's a chemo pill called CCNU that has a 50% chance of being effective and CHOP therapy which has a 70% chance so he recommended the CHOP therapy. He made it sound like the CCNU drug would still require the cat to come into the office 5 times, but maybe that would be less times. If I got the details correct CHOP therapy involves 4 different chemo drugs and weekly treatments to administer them.

 

[Furballsmom]

Fado doesn't like traveling to the vet and meows a lot on the way there and on the way back. It's a 30 minute drive to the chemo facility.

I have not been through this exact scenario, although something somewhat similar. Thinking of what his stress levels would be during the travel and the treatment, I do wonder if it's worth it

 

[Margot Lane]

Yah I’d go by what your vet says…I think this has to be a deep down decision between you & your cat. I haven’t gone through that therapy so can’t say. Hopefully someone else can respond here who has done this. This will also be expensive…do you have pet insurance?

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ A cat that age may not feel well on chemotherapy. I would keep kitty happy and spoiled until the days comes for a peaceful departure.

 

[Antonio65]

The cat in my profile picture went through ten weeks of chemotherapy, one injection every Monday, for ten Mondays.
And this came after a cycle of 10 radiation therapy sessions, 2 session a day for 5 days. She was 16 years and 6 months old.
I can't tell you if any of the treatments helped her, what I can tell you is that my cat didn't suffer any side effect from the chemo (can't remember the name of the drug, it was 6 years ago). She didn't care much for the weekly trips to the vet, neither did she complain for the long wait at the practice.
When we would arrive at the practice, the vets would take the pre-charged syringe out of the freezer (it had to be stored at 0°F) , wait about 20 minutes for it to get to room temperature, inject it, and wait about half an hour for any adverse reaction, which never happened.

If the cat was mine, I would do that.

 

[Kflowers]

did your vet say how long the treatments would last? Long in how many weeks before the treatments were finished. Is this a temporary thing, or will he be having the treatments for the rest of his life? Enduring a short-term treatment that will make things better is one thing...

I would consider the stress of getting the treatments and how they make him feel. Generally, I've seen 'chemo doesn't bother cats" but I suspect this is more of an individual thing -- that it bothers some and doesn't bother others.

 

[riddler_cat]

Thanks everyone, we decided to do the treatment. My cat had the first one already and is doing fine. They alternate between 4 drugs so there's no guarantee he won't have an adverse reaction to one of the other drugs- but so far so good.

 

[Margot Lane]

Good for you! Please let us knows how it goes..could help others on this site.

 

[iPappy]

Thanks everyone, we decided to do the treatment. My cat had the first one already and is doing fine. They alternate between 4 drugs so there's no guarantee he won't have an adverse reaction to one of the other drugs- but so far so good.

I really hope the treatments go well and your cat has much more quality time with you on this Earth.