# Mast Cell



## annev (Sep 21, 2015)

Hi, 

We are new to this forum and I am looking for any info on Mast Cell cancer.
Our Oliver is set to be 12 next month. He has just been diagnosed with this.

The cancer has been found via mass in his stomach lining with multiple nodes and probable liver involvement. Nothing found on skin....

At this point we are trying to decide if we should even bother trying the chemo or not. Palladia has been recommended. I realize this would be palliative versus curative, but we are having a hard time deciding if it is worth putting him through. His hips are bad and he has had to stop Rimadyl and would have to stay off it in order to have Prednisone.

Any thoughts or experiences?

Thanks in advance!


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

Welcome to the Forum!

If you do a GRF search, you'll find many threads about mast cell cancers and their treatment. 

Good luck and please keep us posted.


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## annev (Sep 21, 2015)

I ran a search and there is quite a bit on Mass Cell; just not the kind he has. 

I will keep looking!

Thanks for the welcome!


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## Rookie's Dad (Feb 19, 2014)

Not sure it will help, but you might check out "Heading for the Bridge" by Rookie's Dad, that's me. We fought a long, hard battle with Mass Cell tumors, you will find the thread in the cancer section. Best of luck to you and Oliver, it's a tough fight.


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## annev (Sep 21, 2015)

Thanks Rookie's Dad. Sorry to read of your sad journey...
We started the chemo and stopped after one treatment. The side effects were too much. 
So we are going to just keep him as comfy and happy as possible; until it is his time to go.


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## L.Rocco (Jul 28, 2015)

Hi, welcome to the forum!
I don't know anything about mast cell, but I did lose my golden to cancer, his cancer was aggressive and he couldn't fight for long. In his case all the options we had could only give us a few extra days. We decided to love on him all we could, allow him to say some special goodbyes and then let him go peacefully with us by his side.
I am sorry you are going through this, enjoy your boy.


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## goldy1 (Aug 5, 2012)

annev said:


> Thanks Rookie's Dad. Sorry to read of your sad journey...
> We started the chemo and stopped after one treatment. The side effects were too much.
> So we are going to just keep him as comfy and happy as possible; until it is his time to go.


I'm glad you joined the forum but sorry you are going through such a tough time. My golden is going to have surgery tomorrow for a tumor they originally thought was mast cell but the biopsy revealed a different type. I have been through the complete range of emotions in the last 2 weeks.
I had to come to terms with "what would I do"? It's the sad part of sharing our lives with these with these angels.

Since you stopped the chemo, can you give him his Rimadyl again? I think keeping him pain free as much as possible is worth it. 
Praying that you still have many good days ahead.


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## brdtim (Sep 18, 2015)

Our girl had an egg sized mast cell tumor on her flank at age 6. It was surgically removed with good margins but we were told that she probably had about six months to live. We were fortunate to get her on the drug Palladia, which was still in trial at the time. She was on it for 2 1/2 years before we finally took her off. She continued to have multiple "lumps" which we had aspirated and some were so large that they required surgery but no more mast cells. She finally succumbed to multiple cancers which took away her mobility this year at age 12. It's expensive, but you might want to check with a veterinary oncologist about it. Maybe it is more affordable now. We don't know if Palladia is what worked or not, but we had those 6 years that we wouldn't trade for anything! I hope it will work for you!!


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## goldy1 (Aug 5, 2012)

brdtim said:


> Our girl had an egg sized mast cell tumor on her flank at age 6. It was surgically removed with good margins but we were told that she probably had about six months to live. We were fortunate to get her on the drug Palladia, which was still in trial at the time. She was on it for 2 1/2 years before we finally took her off. She continued to have multiple "lumps" which we had aspirated and some were so large that they required surgery but no more mast cells. She finally succumbed to multiple cancers which took away her mobility this year at age 12. It's expensive, but you might want to check with a veterinary oncologist about it. Maybe it is more affordable now. We don't know if Palladia is what worked or not, but we had those 6 years that we wouldn't trade for anything! I hope it will work for you!!


Yours is one of those stories that gives all of us hope ! 
That is wonderful. Sometimes they just defy the odds - who can know???
Thanks so much for posting your experience.


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