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. 2020 Jan;34(1):274-282.
doi: 10.1111/jvim.15656. Epub 2019 Nov 13.

Lower urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma in cats: Clinical findings, treatments, and outcomes in 118 cases

Maureen A Griffin  1 , William T N Culp  1 , Michelle A Giuffrida  1 , Peter Ellis  1 , Joanne Tuohy  2 , James A Perry  3 , Allison Gedney  3 , Cassie N Lux  4 , Milan Milovancev  5 , Mandy L Wallace  6 , Jonathan Hash  7 , Kyle Mathews  7 , Julius M Liptak  8 , Laura E Selmic  9 , Ameet Singh  10 , Carrie A Palm  1 , Ingrid M Balsa  1 , Philipp D Mayhew  1 , Michele A Steffey  1 , Robert B Rebhun  1 , Jenna H Burton  1 , Michael S Kent  1
Affiliations

Lower urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma in cats: Clinical findings, treatments, and outcomes in 118 cases

Maureen A Griffin et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2020 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Lower urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is an important but rarely described disease of cats.

Objectives: To report the clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes in a cohort of cats with lower urinary tract TCC and to test identified variables for prognostic relevance.

Animals: One-hundred eighteen client-owned cats with lower urinary tract carcinoma.

Methods: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to obtain information regarding clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes. Recorded variables were analyzed statistically.

Results: Median age of affected cats was 15 years (range, 5.0-20.8 years) and median duration of clinical signs was 30 days (range, 0-730 days). The trigone was the most common tumor location (32/118; 27.1%) as assessed by ultrasound examination, cystoscopy, or both. Treatment was carried out in 73 of 118 (61.9%) cats. Metastatic disease was documented in 25 of 118 (21.2%) cats. Median progression-free survival and survival time for all cats were 113 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 69-153) and 155 days (95% CI, 110-222), respectively. Survival increased significantly (P < .001) when comparing cats across the ordered treatment groups: no treatment, treatment without partial cystectomy, and treatment with partial cystectomy. Partial cystectomy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.31; 95% CI, 0.17-0.87) and treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.33-0.93) were significantly associated with longer survival times.

Conclusions and clinical importance: The results support treatment using partial cystectomy and NSAIDs in cats with TCC.

Keywords: bladder; cat; cystectomy; neoplasia; urethra.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Kaplan‐Meier estimates of survival with different treatment groups. Survival increased significantly (P < .001) when comparing cats across the ordered treatment groups: no treatment, treatment without partial cystectomy, treatment with partial cystectomy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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