Feline gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma: a review and retrospective study

Gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas are the most common nonhaematopoietic gastrointestinal tumours in cats. They are highly malignant tumours causing intestinal obstruction due to the annular, stenosing nature to their growth. Current literature is largely based on surveys of pathology records. Therefore, a retrospective study was conducted to evaluate clinical course and prognosis with surgical excision of the tumour. In published reports feline gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma represented 20-35% of gastrointestinal neoplasms in the cat; the average age was greater than ten years; and there was a greater incidence in Siamese than in other breeds. The small intestine accounted for 70% of cases. In this restrospective study, cats usually had a long history of nonspecific gastrointestinal disease; weight loss and vomiting were the most common signs. Abdominal radiographs demonstrated intestinal obstruction, and an abdominal mass was often palpable. With intestinal resection and anastomosis, median survival time was 2.5 months (range: 0-24 months). It is suggested that tubular adenocarcinomas may have a better prognosis than other histological types, especially if metastasis is not present at the time of surgery. A significant disease-free interval is possible in some cases..