Gastric Neoplasia - Dog and Cat

More common compared with oesophageal neoplasia but still uncommon accounting for less than 1% of all malignancies. Malignant tumours include:

• Adenocarcinoma - 70-80% of cancers of the somach in dogs
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma
• Lymphoma - the most common gastric neoplasm in the cat
• Fribrosarcoma
• Plasmacytoma
• Leiomyosarcoma
• Mast cell

Benign tumours include:

• Polyps
• Leiomyoma

Signalment

• Male dogs are more commonly affected than female: e.g male:female ratio in those with carcinoma 2.5:1
• Mean age of dogs with carinoma - 8 years
• Cats with carcinoma - usually over 10 years
• Mean age of dogs with benign tumour - 15 years

Description

Aetiology largely idiopathic though long term ingestion of dietary carcinogens may have some responsibility. Long term administration of nitrosamines may cause carcinomas in dogs. In humans, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori can induce gastric carcinoma and lymphoma. Its role in gastric tumours in dogs and cats has not yet been fully established though it can cause gastritis and ulceration. Belgian Shepher dogs may have a genetic predisposition to gastric carcinoma. Cats with gastric lymphoma are not usually FeLV positive.

==Diagnosis== (based on typical history, clinical signs, physical exam findings, imaging/laboratory results)

History and Clinical Signs

• Chronic vomiting - blood tinged/'coffee grounds' appearance
• Weight loss
• Anorexia

Prognosis

Adenocarcinoma frequently metastasises to the regional lympho nodes, also the liver and lungs.