We recently had a patient come in to us— a cat who had been vomiting and was suffering from anorexia. We identified something suspicious on the abdominal radiographs (x-rays). Exploratory surgery revealed a small mass (about 6-8 mm) in the stomach, near the pylorus. The pylorus is a ring of muscle that controls the passage of material from the stomach into the small intestine.
After removing the mass, histopathology revealed a gastric polypoid adenoma, which is a growth/tumor. However, the pathologist reported that, “Adenomas of the stomach are rare in domestic animals.” Multiple adenomas have been found adjacent to gastric carcinoma, and large adenomas may show evidence of malignant transformation to adenocarcinoma [cancerous glandular tissue]. However, fortunately in this case there was no definitive evidence of malignancy within the sections examined. The sections most closely resemble a benign gastric papillary adenoma, and complete surgical excision or removal of the mass is likely to prove curative. Also according to the pathologist’s report, a good prognosis is warranted.
We are happy to report that the kitty is home now, eating well with no more vomiting.
