http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?
gid=1423922&messageid=6780&startid=6783
 
Interesting question.  It sounds like you are wondering if Lupron caused
your ferret to get insulinoma and lymphosarcoma, and the answer is NO.
 
Unfortunately adrenal gland disease, insulinoma, and
lymphoma/lymphosarcoma are the 3 most common cancers that ferrets
get.  Your ferret had all 3, and that is not uncommon.
 
In rats giving very high doses of Lupron (0.6 mg to 4mg/kg) daily for 2
years there was an increase in pituitary adenomas and hyperplasia.  In
mice giving very high doses (up to 60 mg/kg) daily for 2 years there was
no pituitary problems.  In humans with high doses (10 mg/day) for 3 years
or 20 mg/day for 2 years, there was no pituitary abnormalities.  I have
been using Lupron depot (once a month version) for almost 6 years now
with no pituitary problems that I know of.  No reason to be afraid of
Lupron for medical treatment of adrenal gland disease.
 
Hope that helps,
Jerry Murray, DVM
 
PS Lupron is not that new on the human side.  It has been used since
1988.
[Posted in FML issue 4347]