What is Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Cats?
Also known as oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), squamous cell carcinoma in cats is a type of cancer that takes place in the mouths of felines. The two most common areas for this type of cancer to arise include the tongue as well as the jaw.
As cancer, the tumor that SCC causes has the potential to spread throughout the body, even though it begins as a contained cancerous tumor only in the mouth. So, a malignant oral tumor is one that can soon spread to other parts of your cat’s body, which leads to something known as metastasis.
As a metastatic form of cancer, it has the potential to spread to the surrounding lymph nodes, which poses a dangerous threat to the overall well being of your cat. If the cancer moves from the mouth to the lymph nodes, it can travel throughout the body and create cancer in other organs, complicating the treatment process and making it hard to get your cat into a state of remission successfully.
Knowing that SCC can evolve from a contained oral tumor to a metastatic case of cancer is a very daunting fact to digest. So, let’s step back for a moment and focus on what you can do to help identify a possible case of SCC in your cat.
The sooner the tumor is detected, the more effective the treatment will be because the cancer is tackled at an earlier stage. How about we explore the symptoms of oral SCC in cats!
Symptoms of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) in Cats
The symptoms of feline cell carcinoma are important to know about, even when your cat is in tip-top shape. Simply being aware of the symptoms of feline oral squamous cell carcinoma can make such a big difference, should your cat ever fall ill with a tumor.
The most common symptoms of oral SCC in cats are…
- Drooling
- Weight loss
- Trouble chewing
- Hard time swallowing
- Inability to eat
- Disinterest in food
- Difficulty drinking water
- Noticeable lump in the mouth
- Flinching
- Sensitivity when being pet
- Odd smelling breath
- Random tooth loss
- Unexplained blood in the mouth
- Strange way of chewing
Weight loss is a major symptom of SCC in cats, both in felines that have undiagnosed oral SCC and in cats that are being treated for feline SCC. For undiagnosed cats, weight loss stems from the lack of appetite seen in cats with SCC. Then, for the cats that are receiving chemotherapy treatments and regular radiation therapy, it’s just a result of the intense medication the cats are receiving.
How Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is Diagnosed
Unfortunately, oral SCC is hard to detect in the earliest of stages. Since cases of feline SCC are not easily recognizable in the beginning, tumors are typically the most obvious sign.
To understand whether or not your cat has malignant tumors indicative of oral SCC, it’s important that the vet orders a biopsy. By looking directly at the tumor and taking a sample to the laboratory, the vet will be able to determine whether or not the raised bump is a malignant tumor like those in cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats.
Since oral SCC tends to be invisible until symptoms become incredibly concerning, it doesn’t hurt to check your cat’s mouth for a tumor routinely. Though you shouldn’t let the possibility rule your mind or make you feel panicked, occasionally inspecting your cat’s mouth for a tumor is a productive and proactive measure to take.
If you notice that your cat appears to be dealing with an oral tumor or some other symptom, you can bring it to the attention of your vet. From there, the vet and the other professionals who see your cat will be able to come up with the appropriate treatment plan for your pet with oral SCC.
Speaking of treatment options for SCC in cats, let’s discuss the potential ways your cat’s vet might go about treating your feline friend!
How to Treat Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Cats
Since this is a type of cancer to spread to other parts of the body, it’s important to notify veterinary medicine professionals that you believe your cat is ill. Even if a CT scan is performed and the vet discovers that your cat doesn’t have feline oral SCC after all, it’s better to be overly cautious than too laid back about your cat’s health.
