So terrifying. We don’t even want to call it by name. We refer to it as ‘the big C’ or a ‘malignancy or a growth,’ or a ‘tumour.’ The very name ‘cancer’ tells you that when Rome ruled the world, they too preferred to allegorize the ailment by picturesquely calling it the ‘crab’ (‘cancer’).
Pet owners are no different. Many, on hearing the word, gasp and begin speaking of euthanasia (‘putting the dog to sleep’ permanently). Well, this new series of Pet Corner articles will attempt to deal with the problem of cancer in your companion animal logically and as unemotionally as possible.
I suppose every veterinarian has been confronted in his or her practice with the question “what causes cancer?” And, to our chagrin, we mumble all sorts of possibilities before we admit that we don’t really know. Actually, so much research is going on (globally) that I dare say that I will live to be able to answer this question confidently and correctly some time in the future. Anyway, enough data has been accumulated even now which allows us make certain statements about cancer with a reasonable degree of certainty.
First of all, for practical purposes we can differentiate between ‘good’ (benign) and ‘bad’ (malignant) cancers. This differentiation is based on the speed and invasiveness of the growth. The malignant cancer spreads quickly and uncontrollably.
Even at this stage I should mention that any in-crease in the size of a group of cells is a swelling or, in medical terms, a tumour (‘tumour’ equals ‘swelling’).
So, a lump or a bump or an abscess is a tumour. But when these cells in the ‘swelling’ multiply rapidly and invade and destroy the surrounding tissue (like a crab with tentacled legs – get the picture?), then that is no longer just a swelling. We are dealing here with rapidly forming new tissue, namely a neoplasm (neo = new; plasm = tissue). Malig-nant neoplasms are the true cancers. Often, some of the cells in these neoplasms disassociate themselves from the parent mass and, via the blood stream and the lymphatic system, depo-sit themselves at different locations of the body thus creating a cancerous growth there at the new settlement.
Malignant cancers are graded – based on whether they continue to grow locally attaining a large size (‘low grade’ cancer), or whether they spread quickly (metastasize) to other parts of the body (‘high-grade’ cancer). Again, for the sake of scientific differentiation, cancers are characterized according to the types of cells that are rapidly multiplying.
For example, you might have heard of a ‘lymphoma’ (a cancer of the lymph tissues), or a ‘sarcoma’ (cancer of connective tissue, for example in bones, cartilage, muscles, etc) or a ‘carcinoma’ (cancer of the epithelial cells). All bad stuff. On the other hand, there is the ‘lipoma’ (cancer in fatty tissue) and the ‘adenoma’ (cancer in glandlike structures) that are really benign tumours, which simply grow in some organs for (at the present time) inexplicable reasons.
Next week we’ll take a look at possible causes of cancers and the production of mutant cells. Please implement disease preventative measures (vaccinations, routine dewormings, monthly anti-hartworm medication, etc) and adopt-a-pet from the GSPCA’s Animal Clinic and Shelter at Robb Street and Orange Walk, if you have the wherewithal to care well for the animals. Do not stray your unwanted pets, take them to the GSPCA’s Clinic and Shelter instead. If you see anyone being cruel to an animal, or if you need any technical information, please get in touch with the Clinic and Shelter by calling 226-4237.
