Factors influencing malignant tumor development in cats from a multicenter retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Oncology
• Epidemiology
• Comparative Pathology

Background:

• Animal cancer registries (ACRs) are crucial for understanding tumor patterns in animals.
• Limited epidemiological data exists for feline tumors, despite cancer being a leading cause of death in cats.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate temporal trends in feline tumor diagnoses.
• To assess the influence of breed, sex, neuter status, age, and origin on tumor malignancy and distribution.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from two pathology-based ACRs in central Italy (2008-2023).
• Applied a modified Vet-ICD-O-canine-1 coding system to 5,289 feline tumors.
• Employed Cochrane-Armitage tests for time trends and logistic regression for risk factor analysis.

Main Results:

• 80.6% of feline tumors were malignant; common types included fibrosarcomas, adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), and lymphomas.
• Malignancy risk increased with age (8% per year). Females and non-purebred cats had higher malignancy odds.
• Neutered status correlated with reduced adenocarcinoma risk. SCCs showed an increasing trend, while fibrosarcomas declined over time.

Conclusions:

• Findings highlight significant temporal shifts in feline tumor types, with rising SCCs and falling fibrosarcomas.
• Identified age, sex, and breed (purebred vs. non-purebred) as key factors influencing feline tumor malignancy.
• Emphasizes the value of multicenter ACR-based surveillance for feline oncology research and risk factor identification.