From:
mjanke@miamiferret.org
Date: 2005-09-24 11:33:24 UTC
Subject: RE: Lymphnosarcoma - what should i do?? help!
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <3526119.1127561604024.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Author wrote:
> Wish has insulinoma, and is 7. i need any kind of information on the removal of the glands, saftey, and the life expectancy. I do not want to treat with chemo, simply because he is already on prednisone and has very little immune system.
A safe chemo is prednisone, but in ferrets that have already been on pred for other reasons (insulinoma, IBD) are resistant to its effects for the treatment of lympho. Like Sukie said, perhaps the Tuft's protocol might be something you want to look into. This uses uses pred, L-asparaginase, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, methotrexate, chlorabucil, and procarabazine and is done orally and subcutaneously. Nothing intravenous. I don't know if that makes it less difficult for the ferret to handle.
I never heard of removing the affected glands, but the real problem with lymphoma is that it metastasizes to other organs, like the lungs, spleen, liver, etc. Removing just the affected lymph glands at that point wouldn't help.
mike