Lymphoma in cats

Overview

• Lymphoma is a cancer of lymphocytes (also known as white blood cells).
• Lymphoma in cats can be found almost anywhere including the intestines (gut), chest, kidneys, skin and lymph nodes.
• The most common type of lymphoma in cats is in the intestines (gut).
• Lymphoma in cats can be caused by:
  • Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) infection.
  • Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) infection .
  • Ongoing inflammation somewhere in the body.
  • Immunosuppression (a lowered immune system).
  • Environmental toxins such as tobacco smoke.
• If your cat is diagnosed with lymphoma, it might be possible to treat it in order to give your cat more time but sadly, the condition is eventually nearly always fatal.

What is lymphoma in cats?

Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell that protects the body from infection). Although lymphoma in cats is most commonly found in the intestines, it can develop almost anywhere in the body, including the chest, kidneys, lymph nodes, spine, skin, and nose.

Lymphoma is most common in older cats (seven to eight years and above), but can sometimes develop in young cats, especially if they have FeLV or FIV. It can affect any breed but Siamese cats (especially males) have an increased risk.

Symptoms

Symptoms of lymphoma vary depending on what type it is, where it is, and how aggressive it is. Symptoms can include:

• Difficulty breathing for example breathing faster or panting
• Coughing
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Weight loss
• Reduced appetite
• Low energy
• Drinking and peeing more than usual
• Lumps under the jaw or elsewhere on the body which may be big, swollen lymph nodes
• Discharge from the nose

Please note many of the symptoms listed above are common, and can indicate many conditions other than lymphoma. If your cat is showing any of these symptoms, it’s best to contact your vet for an appointment.

Diagnosis – grading and staging

To confirm a diagnosis, decide on the best treatment plan, and to give a prognosis, your vet will advise doing certain tests to grade and stage your cat’s lymphoma:

• Grading - tells us how aggressive the lymphoma is by taking a sample of tissue from the lump. Lymphomas can either be high grade (more aggressive), or low grade (less aggressive). Grading your cat’s lymphoma is a good way to predict how they might respond to treatment, and their likely outcome.
• Staging – can tell us how far the lymphoma has spread. There are 5 stages – stage 1 is a single tumour, whereas stage 5 is when the cancer has spread to the bone marrow, brain, or spine. Blood tests, x-rays, and ultrasound scans are needed to stage lymphoma. Depending on how unwell your cat is, your vet may discuss whether staging would be helpful or not, as it may not change the treatment plan if your cat is already very unwell.

The tests are likely to involve:

• Taking a sample of tissue from the tumour which can be done in two ways:
  • Fine needle aspirate (FNA) – a simple, quick procedure, usually done without sedation or anaesthesia. A small needle is used to get cells from the lump which are then examined under a microscope.
  • Biopsy – involves taking a bigger sample of the lump and sometimes the whole lump is removed. A bigger sample means it may be possible to get more information on the type of lymphoma, treatment options and prognosis. This is likely to be done under sedation or general anaesthesia.
• X-rays and scans – to check if the cancer has spread to anywhere else around the body.
• Blood tests – to check your cats blood count and vital organs.

Your vet may need to refer your cat to a specialist veterinary centre for full diagnosis and treatment.

Treatment and outlook

Sadly, there is no cure for lymphoma, and without treatment, many types cause death within a few weeks. Your vet will discuss treatment options with you, which might include referral to a specialist clinic depending on the type of lymphoma your cat has.

When deciding on a treatment plan it’s important to consider your cat’s age, quality of life, how well you think they will cope with treatment, and your finances. Their outlook and survival time will depend on which type they have, where it is, how aggressive it is, and how far it’s spread. Each cat is different, but treatment options may include:

Steroids

Your vet may advise steroids to reduce symptoms and it might extend your cat’s lifespan for a few weeks or months.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs attack cancer cells, in an attempt to slow their growth and shrink tumours. The aim of chemotherapy is to improve quality of life, and achieve remission, which is when the signs of cancer have disappeared and we can’t detect it anymore, although the cancer may not be completely gone. Some types of lymphoma respond very well to chemotherapy but unfortunately response varies a lot and some types of lymphoma don’t respond as well. Some cats may go into remission for a period of time and live longer than they would have done without treatment, but eventually their cancer is likely to return.

It's important throughout chemotherapy that your cat’s quality of life is good. Treatment usually involves combining different types of drugs which may be an injection, tablets or a combination of both. It’s often given over a long period of time for example up to six months, or occasionally up to a year. The cancer can eventually become resistant to treatment which means it comes back again. Chemotherapy does have side effects. Your vet will discuss any side effects linked to the specific medication your cat is on.

Surgery

Your vet might advise surgery in some circumstances for example removing a lump from the intestines if it’s a single tumour. However, this will not be an option in many cases as it depends on the size of the tumour and its location. Chemotherapy will often still be needed alongside surgery.

Radiation therapy

Radiation is used in specific types of lymphomas for example lymphoma in the nose.

It’s very important to consider your cat’s outlook and quality of life when deciding on a treatment path. Certain things might influence your decision such as access to a specialist vet if this is needed, cost of treatment, and how well you feel your cat will cope with the treatment which will often involve lots of visits to the vets. Your vet will help you decide what is best for you and your cat.

When to euthanise

Sadly, if your cat is suffering with lymphoma and treatment isn’t helping, or you decide not to treat and you feel your cat is suffering, it may be kinder to put them to sleep. Many owners find this a very difficult decision to make, which is why your vet is always there to guide and help you through the process of making the decision.

When to contact your vet

Contact your vet for an appointment if your cat has any of the symptoms listed above.

You know your cat best, always contact your vet if you’re concerned.

Cost

Treatment for lymphoma can become very expensive, so it’s important to speak openly with your vet about the cost of treatment, your finances, and what you think is right for your cat. There is sometimes more than one treatment option, so if one doesn’t work for you/your cat then your vet may be able to offer another. It can be difficult to predict overall cost initially as it depends on your cat’s individual response to treatment, side effects and time of relapse.

Consider insuring your cat as soon as you get them, before any signs of illness start to ensure you have financial support to care for them.

FAQs

Published: November 2023