From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-03-29 21:40:00 UTC
Subject: Re: fibro saurcoma?
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., rickyticki2000@y... wrote:
> Okay i don't know if that is how you spell it but i do know that my
> poor ferret has had 6 six years of good health and now seems to
have
> un untreatable rare form of cancer. My vet is still looking into it
> to see if there is something new, but i was wondering if anyone had
> any information on treatment and such. They've already taken out
the
> cancer and it was encapsulated but this type of cancer always comes
> back. Please help.
Dear Dana:
Fibrosarcomas are uncommon soft tissue tumors of ferrets.
Fibrosarcomas arise from fibroblasts - the cells which produce
collagen in the skin and soft tissues. HOwever, this particular
neoplasm can mimic other tumors of a decidely less agressive nature -
tumors of the smooth muscle of blood vessels or those of the
peripheral nerve.
Treatment of these tumors is generally limited to complete surgical
excision - chemotherapy has not proven effective for these tumors -
radiation may be helpful after surgical debulking. The best
treatment is complete surgical excision. You don't mention the site -
if it is an extremity, then amputation is a consideration if there
is recurrence at the original site.
If you are interested, I would be happy to render a second opinion on
this neoplasm, and run some specialized tests to see if it is indeed
a fibrosarcoma.
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
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