Cat Synovial Cell Sarcoma

Veterinarian Reviewed on April 1, 2014 by Dr. Janice Huntingford

Cat Synovial Cell Sarcoma

Synovial cells are in the joints of your cat. Synovial cell carcinomas are those that occur within the joint capsule or within the tendon sheath. These particular cancers usually occur in the larger joints of cats. Joints such as the shoulder, knee and elbow are the most commonly involved; although there is a possibility that any joint can be stricken with synovial cell sarcoma. This type of Cat Cancer is somewhat rare in cats.

Signs and Symptoms

The most common symptom is lameness. However, lameness is a common symptom of many orthopedic maladies and therefore it can easily be overlooked for a prolonged period.

Diagnosis

There has been controversy over the method of diagnosing synovial cell sarcoma. Veterinary oncologists use a method called immunohistochemistry. This localizes the proteins in the cells of the tissue with the use of antibodies. This process distinguishes it from other joint tumors.

Treatment Options

The recommended treatment for synovial cell sarcoma is amputation of the cat’s limb. There have been some studies on humans that indicate some benefit of chemotherapy treatment for synovial cell sarcoma, but none in pets. These locally aggressive tumors do have the ability to metastasize to other organs. Cats with the tumors will have some metastasis in almost one third of the cases and over half at the time of death. Sarcoma of the soft tissues are prone to metastasis and survival is based on the stage of the cancer and the aggressiveness of the surgery.

Prognosis

Depending on the invasiveness to other organs such as lungs or lymph nodes, prognosis is not good. If metastasis has occurred, survival rate is about 6 months. Without metastasis, survival is about 36 months. Amputation will prolong the survival time considerably.

Pain in Cancer

Pain and cancer go hand in hand. Untreated pain will compromise your cat’s quality of life. Recovery from illness or surgery will also be prolonged. The veterinary team treating your cat is responsible for prescribing medication to relieve the pain. It is up to the owner to carry out those instructions to keep their cat comfortable. Pain management ultimately falls upon the owner and you must be aware of your cat’s activities and comfort. Pain should be anticipated before it begins. After surgery or after treatment, there will be pain. If your cat is medicated before these procedures, recovery will be a lot easier.

Managing your Cat’s Nutritional Needs

Due to the discomfort caused by most tumors, your cat may experience a Cat Loss of Appetite, difficulty swallowing and digestive problems. working closely with your vet will help to ensure adequate nutrition. Proper nutrition will keep your cat stronger, maintain a better quality of life and help in avoiding complications from surgery. As with humans, proper nutrition will speed up the healing process as well.

Cats with cancer need to consume Cat Cancer Diets that are specifically designed for adequate nutritional support, and Cat Cancer Dietary Supplements should also be given to your cat. A well fed cat will also be more likely to have a less suppressed immune system which is vital to speed up recovery and prevent post-treatment complications.

Additional Cat Cancer Pages

Cat Cancer | Cat Skin Cancer | Cat Lung Cancer | Cat Pancreatic Cancer | Cat Cancer Prevention | Cat Cancer Diagnosis | Cat Gastric Cancer | Cat Lymphoma Cancer | Cat Squamous Cell Carcinoma | Cat Mouth Cancer | Cat Brain Tumor | Cat Palliative Cancer Care

Read also: Cat Palliative Cancer Care
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Our Expert

Dr. Janice Huntingford
Janice Huntingford, DVM, has been in veterinary practice for over 30 years and has founded two veterinary clinics since receiving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. She has studied extensively in both conventional and holistic modalities. Ask Dr. Jan

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