Prednisone for cat lymphoma: Does it stop spread or affect immunity?

Question

1. What are the possible effects of using prednisone "alone" to treat feline small cell intestinal lymphoma, besides making the cat feel more comfortable? 2. Will it prevent cancer from spreading, and/or killing cancer cells, and/or reduce symptoms, or ...? 3. How soon can we see the effects? 4. Will its usage impact on subsequent biopsy result? 5. Since it suppress the immune system, will it enable metastasis of the lymphoma or more exposure to other diseases? Thank you so much! Pet's info: Cat | Siamese | Male | neutered | 8 lbs

Jenny, DVM · Accepted Answer

Prednisone does have some mild chemotherapy properties when dealing with lymphoma. Small cell lymphoma seems to have a longer longevity compared to other forms. It does make them feel better and it can slow down the progression but it does not prevent it from spreading or replicating. You generally start at a higher dose and gradually back down to a lower long term dose which minimizes the risk of suppressing the immune system or aiding in metastasis. It does have potential it impact future biopsy results but once you have positive diagnosis, no further biopsies are needed. The effects are subtle and usually do not get rid of the diarrhea or increase weight. You may not recognize any changes truthfully as the work is affecting a cellular level. A good B vitamin such as cobalamin supplementation is also beneficial.

Prednisone for cat lymphoma: Does it stop spread or affect immunity?

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