Is a needle biopsy the proper way to diagnose cat mast cell tumors?

Question

Our cat max who is 13 has a lump on his backside we had it checked they stuck it with a needle and said it was a cancerous mast cell tumor and should be surgically removed.Can they actually tell that way and is that the proper procedure. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 13 years and 4 months old | 13 lbs

Ann Dion, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry that Max has a lump. FNA (Fine needle aspirate) is the name of the procedure your vet performed. Some types of cancers, including Mast Cell Tumors, will exfoliate (give off) a lot of cells when this procedure is performed, and have a very classic appearance under the microscope. Therefore yes, this is a proper procedure and diagnostic test. I would recommend that you chat with your vet about staging (looking to see if the cancer has spread to other locations of the body- usually using ultrasound and chest x-rays), and if it has not, have the tumor removed. Ensure you chat with your vet about if they are comfortable doing the surgery to get proper margins (3cm diameter and 3 facial planes) or if a surgical specialist is required. This will depend on the location of the mass. Best of luck with Max, hopefully it is a low grade and will be cured with surgery!

Is a needle biopsy the proper way to diagnose cat mast cell tumors?

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