>About 3 weeks ago, Idget went in to the vet because she had stopped >eating. They felt a mass in her abdomen and did and exploratory. They >removed an 8 oz tumor and the biopsy results came back today. It was >a poorly differenciated carsinoma, with the strong possibility for >regrowth. I started her on Essiac today but both my vet and I are open >to other suggestions. I didn't post before as I'm not an oncologist. I would recommend that your vet consult with an oncologist on this, treatment may be available. -Dr. Karen DISCLAIMER: This e-mail is provided for general informational purposes only. It is in no way intended as a replacement for a consultation with a qualified licensed veterinarian. If you are concerned about your pet's health, you should seek the advice of your regular veterinarian as soon as possible. ------- The diagnosis of poorly differentiated carcinoma is not a good one. It tells us that this epithelial tumor is anaplastic, or too immature to be able to recapitulate its parent tissue. This immaturity does correlate well, however, with a potential for widespread metastasis and aggressive growth. Carcinomas tend to metastasize widely in the abdomen, and are generally very difficult to excise completely. Chemotherapeutic options exist, but little have shown a lot of effect (but we certainly need more information and test cases.) Wish I had better news - but at this point, let's make the most of the time together, and hope for the best, With kindest regards, Bruce Williams, DVM [Posted in FML issue 3459]