Veterinary oncologists suggest a different, gentler kind of treatment for cats with cancer.

If you have a cat with cancer, he may benefit from a different kind of treatment.

Think about the sound of a metronome. It’s always steady and often slow. And now its name is inspiring a different way of treating cats with cancer.

Conventional treatment using chemotherapy for cats with cancer calls for giving the drug at the maximally tolerated dose. But patients need a rest period between treatments to allow healthy cells to repair and regenerate and to minimize side effects.

Cancer cells never rest, though. And during the break in treatment, damaged tumor blood vessels can recover along with healthy cells, lessening the benefit of the treatment.

Enter Metronomic Chemotherapy For Treating Cats With Cancer

Veterinary oncologist Susan Ettinger uses it when the cancer has metastasized in an attempt to slow progression of the disease. She also uses it for cats whose cancer reoccurs or progresses on the recommended drugs. And she’s found it helps to delay the recurrence of incompletely removed soft tissue sarcoma.

“Traditionally, a second surgery or radiation is recommended to prevent tumor regrowth,” she says, “but this gives us another option.”

Speaking at a continuing education conference for vets, veterinary oncologist Alice Villalobos called metronomic chemotherapy a “kinder, gentler way to help fragile and geriatric cancer patients.”

But to me, it sounds like a kinder, gentler way to help all cats with cancer. If you have a cancer cat — and I hope you never do — it would certainly be worth discussing with your vet.

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