Stomach cancer in cats and dogs

The stomach is a muscular organ of the gastrointestinal tract that holds food and begins the digestive process by secreting gastric juice. The most common cancers of the stomach are adenocarcinomas but other histological types have been reported.

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Signs and symptoms

Signs vary but may include vomiting (especially if blood is present), weight loss, anemia, and lack of appetite. Bowel movements may be dark and tarry in nature.

Diagnosis

In order to determine whether cancer is present in the stomach, the veterinarian will perform special X-rays and/or abdominal ultrasound. Gastroscopy, a test using an instrument called endoscope to examine the stomach, is a useful diagnostic tool that can also take samples of the suspected mass for histopathological analysis to confirm or rule out cancer. The most definitive method of cancer diagnosis is through open surgical biopsy. ^[1]

Treatment

Most stomach tumors are malignant with evidence of spread to lymph nodes or liver, making treatment difficult. Except for lymphoma, surgery is the most frequent treatment option for stomach cancers but it is associated with significant risks.

References

External link

• Stomach Cancer in Cats and Dogs from Pet Cancer Center
• Gastrointestinal neoplasia from Merck Veterinary Manual