From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-04-23 07:38:00 UTC
Subject: Re: RC tumor
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "James Higgins" <stillkcn@g...> wrote:
> Test results returned today showing that RC has:
> "Adenocarcinoma likely to be of mammary gland (modified apocrine
gland) origin. Neoplastic cells had a low to moderate rate. The
prognosis is guarded, and close observation for regional and distant
metastasis is warrented."
> This is exactly what the report states and our vet has said that
basically all we can do is keep him happy and let him go when the
time is right for him. He was doing so well, the tumor has shrunk
some and is not draining near as bad as first. It is av ery sad day
for me, I was so hopeful that he could have made it. JD and the
Ferret Patrol.
Dear James:
Actually, being a male the cahance of this being a mammary gland is
fairly minimal. However, the scent glands of the prepuce are
apocrine glands, and this is the overwhelmingly most likely diagnosis
(has been since I saw the gross photos.)
At this point, being an aprocine gland tumor, the chance of
metastasis internally is pretty high, so iven if you could remove the
large preputial tumor, chances are that he would still succumb to the
same tumor (albeit inside the abdomen.)
Hang in there, and try to make his remaining time as pleasant as
possible. Should the opportunity present itself at euthanansia time,
a necropsy would prove helpful and add markedly to the medical
literature. If your vet could take tissues, I would proide the
analysis at no charge.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP
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