Just got word from the vet that the third histopathology test, which was performed by a specialist in difficult cases at the University of Colorado, showed signs of fibrosarcoma. I have yet to speak to the oncologist about what they found, but it is kind of a mixed bag. The good news is that surgery is the main treatment and Maggie's was about as successful as they come. The bad news is that the specialist did find some evidence of malignant cells even in the margin of healthy tissue that the surgeon removed.
Fibrosarcoma is a tumor of the connective tissues and it is typically not metastatic. It is, rather, locally invasive. This is good news. The presence of malignant cells in the margin of the resected tissue is a bummer though.
More updates as I hear them.
4 comments:
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
She'll beat it. I know you'll give her every chance to.
Sending positive mojo.....
We just went through this. Our cat developed a lump on her left hind leg, midway between the hip and knee. We were told that amputation of the leg offered the best prognosis, but I refused to have her leg removed. We had a lumpectomy instead, and less than 3 months later the lump returned with a vengeance. The growth was observable from day to day. After several consultations, we had a CT scan performed in an attempt to determine if the lump was indeed a lump, or if it had tendrils, and also to determine if there had been metastasis to the lungs -- the first stop for loose cancer cell, apparently. If the cancer were to have spread, it would have been pointless to have put her through yet another surgery.
2 readings of the results showed that the lump was still entire, and that there were no signs of cancer in her lungs. All of this took an extra 2 weeks, and she was beginning to experience discomfort again. We finally had her leg amputated at the hip just before Thanksgiving. The margins were not as great as the oncologist had wished for, but there were margins; 8 mm.
She was up and walking on 3 legs less than 4 hours after surgery, and has recovered nicely. She can't get onto the roof of our house anymore, but she can still outrun me if she wants to. There is no guarantee that she is cancer-free, but she is no longer ill, lethargic, and in pain (knock on wood). We will continue to love her for as long as she lives, and we never really know how long any of our pets and loved ones will live.
Best of luck, and best wishes to you.
I don't think a little thing like cancer could stop the MagDog. She's a titanium Toto. Let us know the news...
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