Message Number: SG10879 | New FHL Archives Search
From: sheryl81@aol.com
Date: 2004-09-30 03:49:41 UTC
Subject: Cancer Biopsy
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <14440411.1096517102841.JavaMail.nobody@strontium.smartgroups.com>

Hi there. Last week my 2 year old ferret had two tumors removed from him, one
pea-sized one above his shoulder (under the skin) and one brown scabby one on
top of his skin. I believe only the one by his neck was sent for biopsy. The report
came back that the tumor was malignant and my vet said he felt it was very rare in
ferrets (he has a lot of experience with ferrets, also).

I was hoping someone could interpret the biopsy for me and tell me anything they
feel might be helpful, as far as whether they have seen this in ferrets before, what
treatment options I have, and especially, his prognosis.

My vet told me it was a round-cell tumor and suggested we recheck him in 6
months or before if I notice any other tumors. I am a little nervous about this, I've
never had a ferret with cancer before. Are there any other symptoms I should look
for that would tell me his cancer has progressed? What if I can't feel the next
tumor? Are there supplements I could give him or something?

Well this is the biopsy report:

Patient: FRANKLIN
Species: FERRET
Breed:
FERRET
Age: 2Y
Gender: male

Order recv'd: 9/23/2004

BIOPSY with microscopic (1 tissue)
Test

MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION
THE SAMPLE IS THAT OF SKIN WITH ABUNDANT CAUTERY ARTIFACT AT THE
PERIPHERY. WITHIN THE SAMPLE IS A POORLY DEMARCATED UNENCAPSULATED
NEOPLASTIC MASS COMPOSED OF BROAD SHEETS OF EPITHELIOID CELLS HAVING
ABUNDANT PALE BASOPHILIC CYTOPLASM AND ROUND TO OVOID TO
IRREGULARLY-SHAPED NUCLEI. THE MITOTIC RATE IS 1-2 PER HIGH POWER
FIELD AND OCCASIONAL MITOTIC FIGURES ARE ABNORMAL.

DIAGNOSIS
MALIGNANT ROUND CELL TUMOR

COMMENTS
BY USE OF METACHROMATIC STAINS, WE HAVE RULED OUT A MAST CELL
NEOPLASM. ALTHOUGH UNIDENTIFIED BY CELL TYPE, THESE CELLS ARE VERY
SIMILAR TO THOSE KNOWN TO BEHAVE IN AN AGGRESSIVE MALIGNANT FASHION.
THE CELLS CAN POSSIBLY BE IDENTIFIED BY IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY. THIS
WILL GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL FEE OF APPROXIMATELY $110. IF THIS IS YOUR
DECISION, PLEASE CALL XXXXX AT: YYYY.

Thank you very much. Any input would be appreciated.

Cheryl