First, I would like to state I highly disagree with this term. Just because the symptoms have disappeared does not mean that the cancer has been cured. It is a very strong word that should not be used lightly, especially in medical discussions. Tumor: An abnormal mass of cells. Benign Tumor: non-cancerous tumor. Malignant Tumor: cancerous tumor. Though there are literally hundreds of different types of cancer, there are five main categories that they fall into. Carcinoma - cancer that starts in the skin or tissue surrounding internal organs. Sarcoma - cancer that starts in the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, and other connective or supporting tissue. Leukemia - cancer that begins in blood forming tissue like bone marrow and cause large numbers of abnormal blood cells to enter the blood stream. Lymphoma - cancer that starts in the cells of the lymphatic tissue or immune system. Central nervous system cancers - cancers that start in the brain and spinal cord tissue. Now all of these cancers is termed where they start. It does not mean that they can not spread to other places. That is why Lymphoma is so deadly because it manages to destroy the lymph nodes which would stop them and spread to other parts of the body rapidly. This is one of the biggest concerns with women with breast cancer since the cancer can start there and the since the lymph nodes are so close if they reach them, then the prognosis is not good. The belief that if a ferret has insulinoma or adrenal cancer that they probably have or will probably have the other is not unfounded. To it, you need to know what type it is. Both adrenal cancer and insulinoma (pancreatic cancer) are known as Carcinoma cancers. That means they can spread to any other tissue or organ fairly easily. Though is is not improbable to have a different type of cancer, such as lymphoma, also spread and become Carcinoma as well, it is not as easy as if they were the same type. The whole thing is certain cancers metastasis (spread) to other parts of the body. Now this does not always happen, but the longer they have the cancer, the more likely. Also when cancer spread it is always the same cell it originated from, but it does not mean it does any less damage to the tissue it infects. That means if cancer spreads from the adrenal gland to the pancreas that it will still do as much damage as if it started there, it just tells the doctor where the cancer originally started if they send of the cancer cells. Usually in ferrets, since they hide pain so well, they have usually had the cancer a while before we know it. Also in a lot of cases removing the entire organ is not an option as it can be for most cancers in humans, nor do we typically follow it with chemotherapy to kill any hidden cancerous cells. Now, I am not a vet, or doctor, but I think they will discover that in ferrets that if they have cancer in one place, for instance the adrenal gland, that is likely to spread to the pancreas in ferrets and vice versa. For instance with breast cancer in humans, it most commonly spreads to bones, lungs, brain, or liver, though they can spread elsewhere. It is just places where it is more likely to metastasis to. I believe if a ferret had either pancreatic cancer or adrenal cancer, it is most likely to spread to each other and also liver or kidneys. Now again I do not have any professional degree, but I hope this is explains to everyone why I believe what I believe. I have not seen proof yet of a cure for pancreatic cancer nor adrenal cancer, since no studies have been done on the ferrets a year later or two years. Also no one, at least as far as I can tell, where there ferret has died of another cause such as liver disease has had their ferret autopsied and the cells sent to a lab to prove that it was not cancer, and that the cancer did not originate in the pancreas. Since I have been able to keep a ferret two plus years relatively symptom free with melatonin and feedings, and considering most come down with it at four plus years, I will not do surgery until there is a cure or it is not manageable. Don't get me wrong my vet is well versed with ferrets and has a new $50,000 dollar laser to be able to do the more delicate surgeries, I would rather not stress out my ferret more than he/she has to be. This will be my last post on this subject. Anyone with questions, responses, or flames please email me off list. Sincerely, Ireann (Apologies to Big for length, and thanks for his wonderful work and continued efforts on the FML) -- Life is like a box of chocolates, its full of nuts [Posted in FML 5763]