what causes lymphoma | What are the causes of lymphoma in cats?

What are the causes of lymphoma in cats?


Description
Lymphoma, sometimes called lymphosarcoma, is a disease of lymphoid tissue that causes malignant tumors to spread through the lymphatic system. The affected areas are the lymph nodes, the tonsils, the thymus, and almost all organs in the body. As the intrusion of the cancerous cells intensifies, the organs closed. A cat with lymphoma often loses its appetite, vomits or has diarrhea, weakens and eventually dies. Presentation of the disease is very general, especially in the early stages, and is difficult to detect. The symptoms vary according to the affected organ, although the gradual lack of appetite, lethargy and weight loss are common in most forms. Other symptoms include chronic diarrhea, vomiting and breathing difficulties, although all of these may indicate other conditions. The most common form of feline lymphoma is intestinal, although it can start anywhere and spread throughout the body. There are multicentric, mediastinal, and food forms of lymphoma, although tumors propagate in a similar way in all forms.

Causes

What are the causes of lymphoma in cats?

Cats have a higher incidence of lymphoma than dogs or humans. Genetic predisposition is perhaps the most important factor in the development of lymphoma, although environmental exposure to carcinogens plays a role. Although there is no breed or sex predilection for cats that develop the disease, older cats, in the nine to ten year old range, have a higher incidence of it. In the past, the age group was largely lower due to generalized feline leukemia which most commonly presented as Mediastinum lymphoma, which is tumors originating in the thoracic cavity. Although lymphoma has been strongly associated with feline leukemia, appearing co-morbidly in 70 percent of cases, only 20 percent of today's cats are also feline leukemia. The feline immunodeficiency virus, IVF, increases the chances of developing lymphoma by six times a cat. . Environmental factors, such as exposure to carcinogenic agents, may also play a role in the development of leukemia, but there is little evidence to support it. Some studies show exposure to cigarette smoke can double the risk of developing a cat lymphoma. A long-standing theory linking feline lymphoma to inflammatory disease must still be proven or refuted.

Treatment
Chemotherapy is quite common in the treatment of feline lymphoma. About seven percent of the cats that undergo chemotherapy must be hospitalized due to side effects, while the majority can go home. Many times, more than one chemotherapy drug is administered. While Whiskers can be lost, important hair loss is not a side effect of usual chemotherapy in animals. Chemotherapy usually has good results first, even if the cure is unlikely. Cats with the disease usually live about six months. In general, the younger and healthier the cat, the more a complete recovery. A specialist may be able to provide new medications and experimental treatments. Surgery is sometimes recommended, although it is usually to eliminate an immediate problem, the mortal life caused by lymphoma. Radiotherapy can also be used in highly localized sites