FERRET-SEARCH Archives

Searchable FML archives

FERRET-SEARCH@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Sukie Crandall <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:15:06 -0500
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (91 lines)
Just a quick point about ultrasounds or Tennessee Panel with possible
adrenal growths: they usually are not needed, but they can be useful if a
situation is too unclear.  We have used them in such situations.
 
Now, the following is just supposition time so bring out that boulder of
salt: we personally here have low rates of adrenal growths and of any
form of pancreatic growth.  I have wondered for some time if the large
amount of complete darkness we make available for our ferrets (and the
melatonin their bodies make as a result) may also be good for pancreatic
health.  Certainly, an increasing amount of current research shows
melatonin having anti-tumor properties (For examples that are comfy reads
look in the January FMLs, and also go to the Science News website and
look up the marvelous article "Bright Lights, Big Cancer".), and a lot of
new info on the hormonal interactions of the pancreas are being found,
for instance, the estradiol receptors there that were only recently
discovered.  A few of the related abstracts from last year:
 
1. Blask, D.E., G.C. Brainard, et al. 2005.  Melatonin-depleted blood
from premenopausal women exposed to light at night stimulates growth
of human breast cancer xenografts in nude rats.
Cancer Research 65 (Dec. 1):11174-11184.  Abstract available at
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/65/23/11174.
 
2. Schernhammer, E.S., and S.E. Hankinson. 2005.  Urinary melatonin
levels and breast cancer risk.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute 97(July 20):1084-1087.
Abstract available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jnci/dji190.
 
3. Schernhammer, E.S., et al. In press.  Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin
levels and their correlations with lifestyle factors and steroid
hormone levels.  Journal of Pineal Research.  Abstract available at
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-079X.2005.00285.x.
 
4. Verkasalo, P.K. . . . R.G. Stevens, et al. 2005.  Sleep duration
and breast cancer: A prospective cohort study. Cancer Research 65
(Oct. 15):9595-9600.  Abstract available at
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/65/20/9595.
 
The funny thing is that I was putting together a few adrenal highlights
for a friend yesterday so here they are.  Please, DO note that the
website with these two articles not only has more adrenal articles but
it also has insulinoma ones.  Here are some of the highlights:
 
Lysodren typically no longer used; it tends to often not work and when
it does work it can work too extremely and cause Addisons Crisis.
 
Effectiveness of any type of surgical technique depends mostly on skills
of the surgeon
 
We still get readers who think that age rather than health determines
whether any type of surgery can happen
 
Also still get some readers who do not do pre-op testing.  Some can't for
economic reasons (esp. shelters) but it is usually a very good idea to
do it.  (By that I meant CBC with Chemistry Panel, heart imaging for
older ones, etc. -- ways to avoid trouble.)
 
Current meds: Lupron depot, melatonin, deslorelin/Suprelorin depot.  The
last is not yet available in the U.S. except on an experimental basis
but is likley to become available in not many years.  All three have
multiple supportive research articles and more research is on- going.
An intriguing question (concern) about using the first and third for
prevention has recently been posed on the FHL and can be found:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG16513
 
There have been queries whether a technique which is used to kill tumors
in humans and some tumors in cats would work on ferret R adrenals and if
so how it could be safely administered but I can find no one actually
researching it: Percutaneous ethanol
 
The concept that too much light exposure combined with having been
neutered is at the root of many adrenal growths is more and more
supported by existing research, but not all steps in the hypothesis have
yet been proven (which still is a lot better than the hypothesis that
too many carbohydrates in the diet cause insulinoma which still lacks
any proof and recently perhaps took a literature hit because the premise
begins with past research projects that too much dietary carbohydrate
causes diabetes (not a typo) but in older women (human) that premise was
recently found to not hold in women 50 to 75 years old) (BTW, the most
recent article on the topic by the originator of the insulinoma premise
can be found in JEMM&S, volume 2.2, Dec 2004, By Dr Mark Finkler).
 
Here are some excellent adrenal resources -- which are CURRENT -- and
there are more:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/adrenal.htm
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/melatonin.htm
 
I'll drop my signature on this one or it will be too long to post.
(not a vet :-) )
[Posted in FML issue 5164]

ATOM RSS1 RSS2