Pericardial lymphoma in seven cats

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Oncology
• Feline Lymphoma Research

Background:

• Primary pericardial lymphoma is a rare extranodal form of feline lymphoma.
• This condition has not been previously described in veterinary literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and outcomes of cats with primary pericardial lymphoma.
• To characterize this rare feline cancer and inform future diagnostic and treatment strategies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series of seven cats diagnosed with primary pericardial lymphoma.
• Clinical data, diagnostic imaging (thoracic), cytology, and necropsy findings were reviewed.
• Immunophenotyping was performed to classify lymphoma subtypes (T-cell or B-cell).

Main Results:

• Clinical signs included poor body condition, dehydration, and dyspnea.
• Thoracic imaging revealed pleural effusion and diffuse pericardial thickening.
• Cytology confirmed lymphoma in six cats; four diagnoses were confirmed at necropsy.
• Immunophenotyping identified three T-cell and three B-cell lymphomas.
• Prognosis was poor, with a median survival of 7-11 days for untreated or prednisone-treated cats.
• One cat receiving multi-drug chemotherapy survived for 750 days.

Conclusions:

• Primary pericardial lymphoma is a distinct and rare extranodal lymphoma in cats.
• Early diagnosis and aggressive chemotherapy may offer a better prognosis.
• Further research is warranted to understand this condition and develop effective treatments.