Ear cancer in cats - symptoms, causes, treatment, prevention

Squamous cell carcinoma of the auricle in cats

Cats can be affected by several types of skin tumors, even on the ears.
One type of tumor that can affect the ears is squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can be described as a malignant and particularly invasive tumor that involves scale-like cells of the epithelium, the tissue that covers the body or lines body cavities.

These scaly tissue cells are called squamous cells.

Carcinoma, by definition, is a particularly malignant and persistent form of cancer that often returns after being removed from the body and metastasizes to other organs and areas of the body.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the auricle (related to the ear) can be caused by excessive sun exposure. It is more common in white cats and in cats with white ears.

This type of tumor begins as red, crusty areas on the tips of the ears. The sores or ulcers seem to come and go and will increase in size over time.

There may also be ulcers on the face. This type of cancer can be successfully treated if detected early.

Diagnosis of ear cancer in cats

You will need to provide a detailed health history of your cat prior to the onset of symptoms. Be sure to describe any sores that were noticeable on other parts of the body, even if you suspect they were caused by injuries from outdoor activities or scratches on the skin.

During the exam, your veterinarian will carefully examine any other sores or tumors on your cat's body. The lymph nodes will be carefully felt to determine if they are enlarged, a sign that the body is responding to an infection or invasion.

A sample of lymph fluid may be taken to test for cancer cells. Your veterinarian will order a complete blood count and chemistry profile to make sure your cat's other organs are working normally and to determine if the white blood cell count is higher than normal; again, a sign that the body is fighting an invasive disease or infection.

A biopsy of the ulcerated tissue on your cat's ear will be taken so that the doctor can diagnose the specific type of growth, whether it is carcinoma or benign tissue growth.

This is necessary to differentiate an ulcer from any other condition that may cause the same symptoms.

X-rays of your cat's chest and skull will allow your veterinarian to visually examine the lungs for any abnormalities, especially tumors, and to ensure that carcinoma has not spread to the bones.

Detection of the problem and what types of tumors there are

Diseases in cats are most often discovered by chance, although the prerequisites for them always have roots. Basically, this is the improper care and lifestyle of pets. A cheerful animal, as long as it has strength and until it becomes completely unwell, may “not admit” to the problem. And so, or we ourselves arranged an examination of the cat for ear diseases, and discovered the problem. Or the fluffy has no strength left at all, and we consciously look for what’s wrong.

And we find it. There is a tumor in the cat's ear. The best thing to do in this situation is to consult a doctor. And, it is advisable to do this as quickly as possible, because any disease in the ear is serious and fraught with consequences.

What types of tumors and neoplasms do cats have?:

Malignant.
Benign.

Malignant ear tumors have the following symptoms::

The smell of rot;
Hair loss on the ears;
Discharge from wounds;
The ear appears deformed.

Most often, malignant tumors occur in cats that are 10 years old or older. Such tumors on the ear have two forms: carcinoma (the reason may be that the cat is often exposed to the sun) and adenocarcinoma (one of the most common types of cancer in cats; it begins and develops in the external meatus).

Benign tumors in the ear of cats have the following symptoms::

The cat scratches its ear, shakes, tilts its head;
Sometimes a discharge appears (as in otitis, small);
The ear itself swells and fluid accumulates in the auricle.

However, any animal can get sick, and the cause may be common, for example, an ear mite, from which the furry was not treated in time. But most often, benign tumors occur in cats that are over 7 years old.

What types of tumors are there: polyps; osteoma (bone tissue that is in the ear canal); ceruminoma (gland that produces sulfur); atheroma (gland cyst).

Each of the benign tumors on the ear of a cat can lead to both an uncomfortable condition for the cat and the fact that it will become the cause of more serious illnesses.

Treatment of ear cancer in cats

Treatment will depend on how many sores your cat has on his ears and how big they are. If there is only one small ulcer, it can be removed using cryosurgery, freezing.

If the ulcer is larger or there are multiple ulcers, it/they are treated with surgery. During surgery, most or all of the vertical portion (pinna) of your cat's ear will be removed.

In some cases, removal of the ear canal may be necessary. Most cats recover well from this surgery, even if the ear canal must be removed.

If surgery is not a practical option, chemotherapy can be used to kill cancer cells. However, chemotherapy is usually not as effective as surgery.

In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend a veterinary oncologist so you can determine if there are other viable treatment options.

What is it connected with: the main reasons

A tumor behind a cat’s ear does not always indicate a pathological process. Sometimes a purulent lump or hematoma is a consequence of mechanical damage to the auricle. Swelling and hardening can also occur when a cat has a pimple in the ear canal. Other factors can also influence the violation:

dermatological disease;
benign neoplasms;
hormonal imbalance in the cat’s body;
inflammatory reaction in the ears;
malignant tumors of the external auditory canal.

Caring for a sick cat

Once your cat recovers from surgery, she will be able to lead a normal life. Your cat may look different, but she will adapt to her changed body.

You will need to keep a close eye on your cat to make sure she doesn't develop new sores on her face or head. Try to limit the time your cat spends in the sun.

If you must let your cat out during the day, you will need to apply sunscreen to areas of the body with fine fur.

If your cat tends to spend a lot of time on the windowsill, you can place a canopy or reflector on the glass to prevent UV rays from reaching your cat.

As with any cancer, it is recommended that your cat be checked regularly by a veterinarian.

Benign neoplasms in the outpatient practice of an otolaryngologist

/Bondar Natalya Petrovna - otorhinolaryngologist of the highest qualification category, Shakhmatova Olga Nikolaevna - otorhinolaryngologist of the highest qualification category/

The problem of combating tumor diseases of the upper respiratory tract and ear has been and remains relevant in otorhinolaryngology. The prevalence of benign neoplasms of the ENT organs is quite high; according to the literature, they constitute from 0.5 to 2.5% of all patients with ENT pathology (Ena E.N., 2011)

More than half of the neoplasms are tumors of the larynx, the second place is occupied by tumors of the nose and paranasal sinuses, and the third place is occupied by tumors of the pharynx. Ear tumors are less common.

The benign nature of the tumor is often of conditional significance, since some neoplasms have a tendency to become malignant, can grow into nearby organs and, thereby, cause life-threatening complications (Ena E.N., 2011)

Benign tumors of ENT organs can develop from all tissues that form these organs. Based on their histological structure, they are divided into epithelial tumors (papilloma, adenoma, etc.), soft tissue tumors (lipoma, hemangioma, neurofibroma, neurilemmoma, chemodectoma, etc.), tumors of bone and cartilage (osteoma, chondroma, etc.), tumors of mixed origin. (teratoma, etc.), and tumor-like formations (keratosis without atypia, cysts, endotracheal granuloma, polyps, amyloid deposits, etc.).

There are several classifications of tumors: the international histological classification of tumors, the classification of V.F. Antoniv and co-authors (2001), which is based on the principle of dividing anatomical areas (ear, nose, pharynx, larynx) into sections and fragments.

Clinical manifestations of the disease are associated with the location of the tumor, its size and cellular structure.

The most common benign tumors of the upper respiratory tract and ear are:

Papilloma is an epithelial tumor, found on the skin or mucous membranes, gray or gray-pink in color, on a narrow base, the shape and appearance of the surface of the papilloma resembles a mulberry or cauliflower. One of the most common tumors of the larynx, it accounts for 35 to 45% of all benign tumors of this location. (Soldatov I.B, 1994)

Hemangioma is a vascular tumor of red, sometimes purplish-red color, the surface is lumpy, the consistency is soft, often bleeds, can be diffuse and encapsulated

Adenoma is an epithelial tumor consisting of glandular structures, has the shape of a node and is localized under the mucous membrane, which, as a rule, is not changed, is characterized by slow growth and can reach large sizes

Osteoma is a tumor that develops from bone tissue and grows over many years as a stationary, dense, painless formation. It is one of the most common benign neoplasms of the paranasal sinuses

Other benign neoplasms: rhabdomyoma, leiomyoma, chemodectoma, lipoma and other tumors included in the histological classification are rare.

From my own observations of rare benign neoplasms, I would like to cite the following:

Ceruminal adenoma (ceruminous adenoma, ceruminoma) is a rare benign tumor of the sulfur glands of the external auditory canal. Mostly middle-aged and elderly men are affected. Usually the tumor is localized in the cartilaginous part of the external auditory canal, i.e., the area where the bulk of the ceruminous (sulfur) glands is concentrated. It is less common in the bony part of the external auditory canal, where the sulfur glands are few in number and located only in its upper wall. Clinically, such an adenoma manifests itself as a painless nodule, sometimes accompanied by unilateral hearing loss. Macroscopically, the tumor has the appearance of a delimited polypoid node on a wide base, less than 1 cm in diameter, covered with normal, less often eroded skin. After removal, the tumor can recur after a long time, after 7-10 years. Tumor growth is extremely slow, often expansive, but in the absence of a capsule, the tumor, despite its fully mature, high histological differentiation, has a tendency to grow invasively. Thanks to this growth, it can grow into the middle ear.(MedicalPlanet)

Patient K., 63 years old, complained of purulent discharge from the left ear for three months, with a history of left-sided chronic mezootitis. On examination, there is purulent discharge in the left external auditory canal, the external auditory canal is obstructed by a round formation, pinkish in color, with a smooth surface, the eardrum is not visible. MSCT of the temporal bones shows signs of a chronic inflammatory process of the left ear, complicated by middle ear caries, spontaneous RO (cholesteatoma cannot be excluded). Polyp? external auditory canal on the left. For treatment, he was sent to a hospital, where a general cavity operation was performed on the left ear, removal of a tumor in the auditory canal. The conclusion of the pathohistological study was ceruminous adenoma. When the patient was observed for the next five years, no recurrence of the tumor was detected.

Dystopia of the salivary glands may consist in the presence of islands and inclusions of glandular tissue in unusual places, outside the gland, or in the abnormal location of the entire gland. Most often they are found in the lymph nodes near the parotid gland, in the tonsils and in the sternocleidomastial region. Dystopically located salivary glands can also be a source of the formation of cysts or tumors.

Patient K., 56 years old, complained of difficulty in nasal breathing and decreased sense of smell. History of bilateral maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis. On examination, nasal breathing is difficult on the left, the nasal mucosa is pink, there is no edema, and there are polypous vegetations in the middle meatus on the left. On the right nasal septum there is a formation resembling cauliflower, bleeding when touched, about 1 cm in diameter. For surgical treatment, he was sent to the hospital, where the following was performed: right endoscopic micromaxillary ethmoidotomy, right endoscopic infundibulotomy, left endoscopic polyethmoidotomy, removal of a neoplasm of the nasal septum on the right. Pathohistological study of a neoplasm of the nasal septum - a fragment of cartilaginous tissue with uneven growth of normally formed salivary gland tissue with dilated excretory ducts. There is no growth of atypical cells. When the patient was observed for the next four years, no recurrence of the tumor was detected.

Laryngeal cysts Most cysts of the laryngeal region are localized outside the laryngeal cavity - on the epiglottis or on the root of the tongue, but they can also occur in the ventricles of the larynx and on the aryepiglottic folds. On the vocal folds, small cystic formations can arise as a result of the transformation of polyps in this area. Most laryngeal cysts are retention cysts, formed as a result of blockage of the excretory ducts, their expansion and hypertrophy of the walls of the acini. Laryngeal cysts contain serous fluid of varying viscosity, depending on the content of colloidal proteins in it. Very rarely, cysts of embryonic origin occur in the form of dermoid cysts, which are located on the valculae or epiglottis. Cysts located on the vocal fold can be confused with nodular formations. Laryngeal cysts tend to grow extensively without invading surrounding tissues. For a long time they can be asymptomatic, but, having reached a certain size, they cause disturbances in swallowing (cysts of the epiglottis, aryepiglottic folds) or phonation and breathing (cysts of the vocal folds, ventricles of the larynx). Cysts pinched in the respiratory gap can cause an acute attack of suffocation.

Patient K., 61 years old, complained of difficulty swallowing solid food and liquids; he could swallow only in a certain position of the head; breathing was not difficult. History of chronic catarrhal laryngitis for more than 3 years. On examination, breathing is free, the mucous membrane of the pharynx and larynx is focally hyperemic and dry. In the hypopharynx on the right, at the level of the upper edge of the epiglottis, between it and the lateral wall of the pharynx, there is a rounded formation, covered with unchanged mucosa with a diameter of about 2 cm. An MRI study was performed: along the posterior and right lateral walls of the oropharynx and laryngopharynx, at the level of the upper parts of the epiglottis, a solid exophytic is visualized formation of irregular shape, on a wide base, dimensions 17x22x21mm, with uneven clear contours, without signs of invasion. Surgical treatment was performed: microsurgical removal of the laryngeal tumor. Histological examination: retention cyst. When the patient was observed for 3 years, no recurrence of the cyst was detected. Literature:

1. Antoniv V.F., Rishko N.M., Popadyuk V.I., Pronchenko S.V. Classification of benign tumors of the ENT organs.//Bulletin of Otorhinolaryngology, 2001, No. 4, p.
18−24. 2. Dykhes N. A., Yablonsky S. V., Davudov Kh. Sh., Kuyan S. M. Benign tumors of the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses and nasopharynx in children // M., Medicine, 2005. - 264 p. 3. Ena E. N. Radio wave surgery of benign neoplasms in otorhinolaryngology // Abstract. PhD diss., M., 2011, 23 p. 4. Soldatov I. B. Guide to otorhinolaryngology. M., Medicine, 1994.- 608 p. 5. MedicalPlanet Share

Middle ear hemangioma

Benign tumors of the middle ear also include hemangioma and various neurogenic neoplasms. Hemangiomas of the middle ear are manifested by the following symptoms:

Decreased hearing;
Ear congestion;
Feeling of noise.

Often the first symptom of the disease is a slowly occurring paralysis of the facial muscles on the side where the hemangioma is located. For middle ear hemangioma, otolaryngologists usually perform abdominal surgery or widely remove the mastoid process.

Glomus tumor of the middle ear

Tympanic paraganglioma (glomus tumor of the middle ear) develops from glomus bodies, which are located on the medial wall or roof of the tympanic cavity, jugular - on the bulb of the jugular vein. Paraganglioma is a benign neoplasm, but mature forms of the tumor have infiltrating and locally destructive growth.

Due to the impossibility of total removal, a glomus tumor of the middle ear can pathologically spread to vital structures of the body (brain stem, internal carotid artery). It can destroy the walls of the temporal bone pyramid, penetrate the posterior cranial fossa and cause compression of the medulla oblongata. Glomus cells often affect vessels over a considerable distance, leading to various complications with a fatal outcome. Patients complain of a “pulsating” noise in the ear. During an objective examination behind the eardrum, the doctor sees a pulsating red mass. As the tumor grows, the following symptoms occur:

Hearing impairment;
Facial asymmetry;
Dysphonia (speech disorder);
Dysphagia (swallowing disorder).

The Yusupov Hospital has accumulated extensive experience in diagnosing and treating patients with glomus tumor of the middle ear. Otolaryngologists determine the degree of invasion of the glomus tumor of the middle ear into adjacent structures using computed and magnetic resonance imaging of the temporal bones with contrast, angiography and retrograde jugulography. Doctors make the final diagnosis based on the results of histological examination.

If the glomus tumor of the middle ear is widespread, angiography is mandatory. The study is necessary to confirm the vascular nature of the neoplasm, determine its size, location and sources of blood supply. This plays a role in the possibility of embolization, a minimally invasive procedure that is an alternative to surgery.

The procedure is aimed at preventing blood supply to the damaged area, which helps to reduce the size of the tumor and achieve a good effect with further surgical removal of the identified tumor. Total surgery is performed in the presence of a glomus tumor that does not spread beyond the middle ear. For subtotal (incomplete) removal of the tumor, and depending on the patient’s age, radiation therapy or stereotactic radiotherapy (gamma knife) is used.

Lipoma and atheroma

The area of skin around the ear contains a huge number of sebaceous glands. For this reason, lipomas and atheromas often form behind the ear. Lipomas that form behind the ear grow slowly and are often not cancerous. They are a soft-elastic formation with a smooth surface, surrounded by a capsule. Lipoma has the appearance of a wen.

Atheroma is a cavity formation filled with sebum. Formed due to blockage of the sebaceous glands. Atheromas occur for the following reasons:

Disorders of fat or carbohydrate metabolism;
Genetic predisposition to increased oily skin;
Hormonal imbalances and diseases of the endocrine system;
Hyperhidrosis is a disease associated with excessive sweating;
Failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.

Atheroma is a rounded formation protruding above the surface of the skin, which can reach up to 4.5 cm in diameter. When the tumor becomes infected or inflammatory reactions occur, the following symptoms occur:

Pain behind the ear;
Redness of the skin;
Burning and itching;
Fluctuation is a symptom that indicates the presence of fluid in a cavity formation.

When pressure is applied to the walls of the atheroma or they are damaged, the viscous mass contained inside comes out to the surface of the skin. It has a white color and an unpleasant odor. When atheroma suppurates, the contents have a green-yellow tint. Lipomas and atheromas behind the ear are removed surgically. Modern treatment methods are used - laser or radio wave removal.