Please, note up-front that even though most adrenal tumors are benign
that removal is still normally advised for both quality and quantity of
life except for those ferrets who are not surgical candidates due to many
factors including dangerous complications.  (If surgery isn't possible
Lupron and other meds are advised: See info from Dr. Jerry Murray on
that.) You will also want to see past info written by Dr. Bruce Williams
on how prompt surgery for insulinoma (when cases give early warning) can
be curative is about 60% of cases.  See:
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org ,
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html ,
and the Critical Refs at
http://www.ferretcongress.org .
 
 Date:    Thu, 4 Oct 2001 11:46:38 -0400
 From:    Sukie Crandall <[log in to unmask]>
 Subject: FHL golden oldies: insulinoma and adrenal disease usually NOT
          "cancers"
 
Sukie notes: Insulinoma and adrenal disease usually are NOT "cancers":
most adrenal growths are benign neoplasia and some others tend to not
spread; insulinomae tend to not spread.  There is yet more on that
aspect and on why blood tests do not diagnose lymphoma/lymphosarcoma at
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/Clin_Path/ClinPath.html and elsewhere.
 
There are multiple pieces of info on the misuse of the term "cancer";
here's one which combines the marvelous post of a veterinary pathologist
who is ferret expert (Dr. Bruce Williams) and some dictionary definitions
from veterinary/medical dictionaries.
 
For example, message 6510 (There ARE others with more info):
 
At 8:59 AM +0000 8/20/01, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>The thread on this is pretty good, and both Sukie and Stephanie have
>very valid points.  The terminology of neoplasms can be confusing,
>and I'm sure even vets can be confused from time to time.
>
>The proper term for what you are talking about is neoplasm (or
>literally "new growth).  For one reason or another, a clone of cells
>begins to grow uninhibited by normal substances or mechanisms. The
>word "tumor" may be technically correct, but it is actually non-
>specific - tumor is Latin for a swelling, but it could also be an
>abscess, or anything else that causes swelling - so I try to stay
>away from it.
>
>Now this neoplasm may be benign - without the ability for cells to
>detach into the bloodstream or lymph, move to another tissue, and set up
>shop - or malignant (where they can do this.) The process of microscopic
>piece of a tumor moving to another organ is called metastasis.
>
>Metastasis is the hallmark of malignancy.  The worst tumors have the
>propensity to go anywhere and start growing (like lymphoma).  However,
>we can recognize malignant tumors even before they metastasize, often by
>characteristic features seen under the microscope.
>
>Adrenal carcinomas (malignant adrenal tumors) are interesting neoplasms.
>Although they possess the ability to metastasize, only a small number
>do, and usually only late in the course of disease.  It is likely that
>they do metastasize a lot, but have trouble gaining a foothold in
>distant tissues, so it takes a long time and many attempts if they ever
>truly metastasize.
>
>Insulinomas are generally not malignant tumors as they only very rarely
>metastasize.  The presence of multiple tumors in the same organ over
>time is not metastasis.  We do not understand the mechanism behind the
>generation of these tumors, and when we do surgery to remove them, we
>really are only treating the end point of this process, without address
>the cause.  Thus it is really no surprise that the rate of recurrence
>is about 40% within 10 months.
>
>With kindest regards,
>Bruce Williams, DVM
 
Treat this as an supporting document to Bruce William's excellent post
above taken from FHL digest 348.  I especially liked his providing the
direct translation of "tumor" as "swelling", and his explanation that
not all growths which can metastasize do so readily.
 
These definitions are combined ones from medical, veterinary, and biology
dictionaries, but emphases are mine and i am willing to be corrected if I
blew it...
 
Important Note: some more recent dictionaries don't even include the term
cancer, and I have heard vets who won't use it due to the widespread
confusion out there, and even some vets who won't use "tumor' due to too
many assuming that any tumor is malignant.
 
Tumor: ANY abnormal mass resulting from the excessive multiplication
of cells; a swelling, especially that resulting from the growth of new
tissue; a neoplasm
 
cancer: Any MALIGNANT TUMOR; carcinoma; a carcinoma or sarcoma
 
malignant: pertaining to or denoting progressive growth of CERTAIN tumors
which if not checked by treatment spread to DISTANT sites, terminating in
death; a tendency to progress in virulence, cancer is the best known
example
 
benign: not malignant, as in CERTAIN TUMORS; not recurrent, favorable for
recovery
 
neoplasm: a tumor; ANY new growth, specifically one in which cell
multiplication is uncontrolled and progressive, neoplasms may be benign
or malignant
 
(Subsets from Saunders:
 
neoplasm, benign: a neoplasm having none of the characteristics of a
malignant neoplasm (see below), i.e.it grows SLOWLY, expands WITHOUT
METASTASIS, and USUALLY does not reoccur [See the notes of Dr. Bruce
Williams above in relation to why LOCAL reoccurance is NOT metastasis.]
 
neoplasm, malignant: a neoplasm with the characteristics of anaplasia,
invasiveness and metastasis
 
There are several other subsets of neoplasia in this dictionary.
 
metastasis: the transfer or disease from one organ or part to another
NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED WITH IT
 
anaplasia: loss of differentiation of cells
 
Those who have the _Saunder's Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary_ will
find that this resource often provides details beyond these bare-bones
descriptions, (though certainly there also will be nuances in practise
that those of us who are not medical professionals simply won't
understand).  It is a marvelous resource; I love it.  If I had a rating
for refs around here it would be among the best buys.  It's better than
any of my other medical dictionaries, even for sorting through things too
technical for me in the _PDR_ books on herbs and on supplements that i
have at home.  Marvelous book: clearly written and very inclusive; more
than worth what it cost.
[Posted in FML issue 4392]