A Joint Venture

70 million. That’s the number of Americans with joint issues, but that number is expected to jump even higher as Baby Boomers age. Estimates indicate that by the year 2030, 40% of American adults will have unhealthy joints.
That could mean a lot of discomfort—for joints and for pocketbooks, too. Currently, joint unhealth tops more than $128 billion a year in lost earnings and in medical care.
The truth is that our body, particularly our joints, will tell us when it’s had enough—no matter if it’s from lugging kids around or gardening in your backyard. The cause doesn’t matter so much. Your body sure feels it, though!
In order to lessen the occurrence of these joint episodes, you need to be aware of what Dale Anderson, M.D., calls your “trouble zones.” Anderson is the coordinator of the Minnesota Act Now Project in Minneapolis and the author of Muscle Pain Relief in 90 Seconds.


Anderson says that men and women over 60 tend to be most prone to discomfort in their lower joints such as the hips, knees, ankles and feet. Those types of temporary aches are associated with the normal aging process. He suggests taking care to protect and pamper those areas, noting that there are ways to help the body deal with occasional pains.
A first line of defense is RICE—an acronym for rest, ice, compression and elevation. RICE is a good start, says William Pesanelli, a physical therapist and director of Boston University’s rehabilitation services.
Interestingly enough, there are also some plant-based enzymes that may support joint health, too. A natural enzyme formulation of bromelain (pineapple extract) and papain (papaya extract), natural pancreatic enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin and the antioxidant flavonoid rutin join forces to help promote joint health as well as the temporary natural relief from everyday aches and pains.
In fact, one of these formulations is practically synonymous with healthy inflammation—and has held that honor for over 40 years. It also has the backing of over 160 clinical trials and more than 10,000 people who have consistently demonstrated its effectiveness for maintaining joint and muscle health. It's also known for supporting the body’s natural response to inflammation caused by rigorous movement and exercise.
Simply put, it’s effective and can help people stay active and mobile. That’s good news for those of us who want to get the most out of life and who refuse to be sidelined. But that’s only one step many people are taking for joint health. Other steps—literally—are also important.
Weight management and exercise, for example, can play a significant role in supporting joint health, too. Dr. Patience White, chief public health officer at the Arthritis Foundation, says, “If you lose as little as 10 pounds, you can decrease pain in the knees and hips by 50%. With exercise, you can decrease progression of joint unhealth.” Walking, by the way, can be one of the best steps to take for healthy joints.
Diet is important as well. Healthy proteins, fats—such as olive oil and omega-3s—and carbs from raw fruits and vegetables can help support a healthy weight and healthy joints.
Joint health—it’s a joint venture many are undertaking.

70 million. That’s the number of Americans with joint issues, but that number is expected to jump even higher as Baby Boomers age. Estimates indicate that by the year 2030, 40% of American adults will have unhealthy joints.
That could mean a lot of discomfort—for joints and for pocketbooks, too. Currently, joint unhealth tops more than $128 billion a year in lost earnings and in medical care.
The truth is that our body, particularly our joints, will tell us when it’s had enough—no matter if it’s from lugging kids around or gardening in your backyard. The cause doesn’t matter so much. Your body sure feels it, though!
In order to lessen the occurrence of these joint episodes, you need to be aware of what Dale Anderson, M.D., calls your “trouble zones.” Anderson is the coordinator of the Minnesota Act Now Project in Minneapolis and the author of Muscle Pain Relief in 90 Seconds.


Anderson says that men and women over 60 tend to be most prone to discomfort in their lower joints such as the hips, knees, ankles and feet. Those types of temporary aches are associated with the normal aging process. He suggests taking care to protect and pamper those areas, noting that there are ways to help the body deal with occasional pains.
A first line of defense is RICE—an acronym for rest, ice, compression and elevation. RICE is a good start, says William Pesanelli, a physical therapist and director of Boston University’s rehabilitation services.
Interestingly enough, there are also some plant-based enzymes that may support joint health, too. A natural enzyme formulation of bromelain (pineapple extract) and papain (papaya extract), natural pancreatic enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin and the antioxidant flavonoid rutin join forces to help promote joint health as well as the temporary natural relief from everyday aches and pains.
In fact, one of these formulations is practically synonymous with healthy inflammation—and has held that honor for over 40 years. It also has the backing of over 160 clinical trials and more than 10,000 people who have consistently demonstrated its effectiveness for maintaining joint and muscle health. It's also known for supporting the body’s natural response to inflammation caused by rigorous movement and exercise.
Simply put, it’s effective and can help people stay active and mobile. That’s good news for those of us who want to get the most out of life and who refuse to be sidelined. But that’s only one step many people are taking for joint health. Other steps—literally—are also important.
Weight management and exercise, for example, can play a significant role in supporting joint health, too. Dr. Patience White, chief public health officer at the Arthritis Foundation, says, “If you lose as little as 10 pounds, you can decrease pain in the knees and hips by 50%. With exercise, you can decrease progression of joint unhealth.” Walking, by the way, can be one of the best steps to take for healthy joints.
Diet is important as well. Healthy proteins, fats—such as olive oil and omega-3s—and carbs from raw fruits and vegetables can help support a healthy weight and healthy joints.
Joint health—it’s a joint venture many are undertaking.

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Osteoarthritis in Cats

Slingerland LI, Hazewinkel HA, Meij BP, et al. Cross-sectional study of the prevalence and clinical features of osteoarthritis in 100 cats. Vet J 2010.

A growing awareness of osteoarthritis (OA) - also called degenerative joint disease - in cats has led to investigation of the clinical signs, radiographic findings, and treatments. Cats are well known for their ability to compensate for orthopedic diseases and clinical signs of arthritis are more difficult to detect in this species and are different than those seen in dogs. OA has an important impact on mobility, activity and well-being. This study evaluated 100 cats over the age of 6 years. Each cat had a physical examination and had radiographs taken of the front and hind limbs. Owners were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their cat's behavior. OA was most common in the shoulders, elbows, hips and tarsal joints. The majority of cats (61%) had OA in at least one joint, and 48% had OA in more than one joint. Factors related to the presence of OA included advancing age, decreased mobility and grooming, and increased inappropriate elimination. This study supports findings of other studies in the last 10 years and reinforces the fact that OA is very common in middle-aged and older cats, and is associated with behavior changes. [SL]

Related articles:
Lascelles B. Feline degenerative joint disease. Vet Surg 2010;39:2-13.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Slingerland LI, Hazewinkel HA, Meij BP, et al. Cross-sectional study of the prevalence and clinical features of osteoarthritis in 100 cats. Vet J 2010.

A growing awareness of osteoarthritis (OA) - also called degenerative joint disease - in cats has led to investigation of the clinical signs, radiographic findings, and treatments. Cats are well known for their ability to compensate for orthopedic diseases and clinical signs of arthritis are more difficult to detect in this species and are different than those seen in dogs. OA has an important impact on mobility, activity and well-being. This study evaluated 100 cats over the age of 6 years. Each cat had a physical examination and had radiographs taken of the front and hind limbs. Owners were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their cat's behavior. OA was most common in the shoulders, elbows, hips and tarsal joints. The majority of cats (61%) had OA in at least one joint, and 48% had OA in more than one joint. Factors related to the presence of OA included advancing age, decreased mobility and grooming, and increased inappropriate elimination. This study supports findings of other studies in the last 10 years and reinforces the fact that OA is very common in middle-aged and older cats, and is associated with behavior changes. [SL]

Related articles:
Lascelles B. Feline degenerative joint disease. Vet Surg 2010;39:2-13.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

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Walking to School Could Reduce Stress Reactivity in Children, May Curb Risk of Heart Disease

A simple morning walk to school could reduce stress reactivity in children during the school day, curbing increases in heart rate and blood pressure that can lead to cardiovascular disease later in life, according to a new University at Buffalo study.

UB researchers report in the August 2010 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that children who took a simulated walk to school later experienced smaller elevations in systolic blood pressure, heart rate and perceived stress while taking a short exam than children who had gotten a simulated ride to school.

Cardiovascular reactivity -- including changes in heart rate and blood pressure due to stress -- is associated with the beginnings of cardiovascular disease in children, and atherosclerosis -- the dangerous build-up of cholesterol, calcium, fat and other substances in artery walls -- in adults.

"The cardiovascular disease process begins in childhood, so if we can find some way of stopping or slowing that process, that would provide an important health benefit," says James Roemmich, UB associate professor of pediatrics and exercise and nutrition science and senior investigator on the study, which he completed with graduate students Maya Lambiase and Heather Barry. "We know that physical activity has a protective effect on the development of cardiovascular disease, and one way it may be doing so is by reducing stress reactivity."

Roemmich says because it's not known how long the protective effect of a bout of exercise lasts, parents and educators should promote active play time throughout the day.

"If it only lasts a couple of hours, then it would be most beneficial if a child walked or biked to school, then had recess during school, as well as a break at lunch, so they had opportunities for physical activity throughout the day," Roemmich says. "This would put them in a constantly protective state against stressors that they're incurring during the school day, whether that be taking an exam, trying to fit in with peers or speaking in front of classmates."

Roemmich says his study is the first to show that moderate-intensity exercise can reduce children's cardiovascular reactivity during later, stressful activities. The research builds on his earlier work, which demonstrated that higher-intensity interval exercise could afford similar protection in children.

In the more recent investigation, Roemmich and his team examined a group of 20 boys and 20 girls, all Caucasian and ages 10-14. All visited the Behavioral Medicine Research Laboratory in the morning. To simulate a ride to school, half sat in a comfortable chair and watched a 10-minute slide show of images of a suburban neighborhood, ending with an image of a suburban school. The other half performed a one-mile walk on a treadmill at a self-selected pace, wearing a book bag containing 10 percent of their body weight. As they walked, the images of the suburban neighborhood were projected onto a screen.

Following a 20-minute rest period after completing the passive and active commutes, all children took a Stroop test, which asks subjects to correctly identify the color of color names printed in the wrong color (the word "green" printed in blue ink, for instance). On average, during this activity, heart rate increased by about three beats per minute in children who walked, compared with about 11 beats per minute in children who "rode" to school. Similarly, the rise in systolic blood pressure was more than three times higher, and the change in perceived stress about twice as high, for the passive commuters.

"The perception of a stressor as a threat is the beginning of the stress reactivity process, so if you can dampen that initial perception, then you reduce the magnitude of the fight-or-flight response," Roemmich says. "This results in lower heart rate and blood pressure responses to the stressor. Exercise helped dampen even the initial response."

A simple morning walk to school could reduce stress reactivity in children during the school day, curbing increases in heart rate and blood pressure that can lead to cardiovascular disease later in life, according to a new University at Buffalo study.

UB researchers report in the August 2010 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that children who took a simulated walk to school later experienced smaller elevations in systolic blood pressure, heart rate and perceived stress while taking a short exam than children who had gotten a simulated ride to school.

Cardiovascular reactivity -- including changes in heart rate and blood pressure due to stress -- is associated with the beginnings of cardiovascular disease in children, and atherosclerosis -- the dangerous build-up of cholesterol, calcium, fat and other substances in artery walls -- in adults.

"The cardiovascular disease process begins in childhood, so if we can find some way of stopping or slowing that process, that would provide an important health benefit," says James Roemmich, UB associate professor of pediatrics and exercise and nutrition science and senior investigator on the study, which he completed with graduate students Maya Lambiase and Heather Barry. "We know that physical activity has a protective effect on the development of cardiovascular disease, and one way it may be doing so is by reducing stress reactivity."

Roemmich says because it's not known how long the protective effect of a bout of exercise lasts, parents and educators should promote active play time throughout the day.

"If it only lasts a couple of hours, then it would be most beneficial if a child walked or biked to school, then had recess during school, as well as a break at lunch, so they had opportunities for physical activity throughout the day," Roemmich says. "This would put them in a constantly protective state against stressors that they're incurring during the school day, whether that be taking an exam, trying to fit in with peers or speaking in front of classmates."

Roemmich says his study is the first to show that moderate-intensity exercise can reduce children's cardiovascular reactivity during later, stressful activities. The research builds on his earlier work, which demonstrated that higher-intensity interval exercise could afford similar protection in children.

In the more recent investigation, Roemmich and his team examined a group of 20 boys and 20 girls, all Caucasian and ages 10-14. All visited the Behavioral Medicine Research Laboratory in the morning. To simulate a ride to school, half sat in a comfortable chair and watched a 10-minute slide show of images of a suburban neighborhood, ending with an image of a suburban school. The other half performed a one-mile walk on a treadmill at a self-selected pace, wearing a book bag containing 10 percent of their body weight. As they walked, the images of the suburban neighborhood were projected onto a screen.

Following a 20-minute rest period after completing the passive and active commutes, all children took a Stroop test, which asks subjects to correctly identify the color of color names printed in the wrong color (the word "green" printed in blue ink, for instance). On average, during this activity, heart rate increased by about three beats per minute in children who walked, compared with about 11 beats per minute in children who "rode" to school. Similarly, the rise in systolic blood pressure was more than three times higher, and the change in perceived stress about twice as high, for the passive commuters.

"The perception of a stressor as a threat is the beginning of the stress reactivity process, so if you can dampen that initial perception, then you reduce the magnitude of the fight-or-flight response," Roemmich says. "This results in lower heart rate and blood pressure responses to the stressor. Exercise helped dampen even the initial response."

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Chronic pain can be 'paralyzing' for women

(CNN) -- The sensation began in Melanie Thernstrom's neck the same day she went for a long swim. It flowed down through her right shoulder to her hand, as if she had a blistering sunburn underneath her skin.

Thernstrom, 32 at the time, had a couple of doctor's appointments about it, but went along with a neurologist's suggestion that it would get better on its own.

"I felt increasingly worried, but somehow not in a way that enabled me to take further action, more in a way that paralyzed me," she said. "I think of pain like one of those sea animals that attacks you by paralyzing you first."

She's now 46, the mother of 9-month-old twins, and still dealing with the pain.

Around the world, chronic pain affects a larger proportion of women than men, said Jennifer Kelly of the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine in Georgia. Doctors are finding that women have more recurrent pain and more disabilities from pain than men, she said. Kelly spoke at the convention of the American Psychological Association in San Diego, California, on Thursday.

Women's chronic pain also tends to be more intense and last longer than men's, she said. Pain-causing illnesses such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome are all more common in women than men, according to the International Association for the Study of Pain.

One possible reason that women bear this burden of pain is hormones, Kelly said. The menstrual cycle can be associated with changes in discomfort among women with chronic pain.

Pain also can have long-lasting consequences that scientists are just beginning to understand. A study in the September issue of the journal PAIN found that women who suffer menstrual cramps have significant brain structure changes compared with women who don't.. Other studies have also found abnormal brain structure changes in people with disorders such as chronic back pain and irritable bowel syndrome. Scientists do not yet know what these changes mean, or if they are reversible.

A 2008 study in the Journal of Neuroscience found that people with chronic pain have neurons firing too much in certain brain regions, which could lead to permanent damage. This may explain the repeated findings in other studies that chronic pain is linked to depression.

Women tend to focus on emotional aspects of pain, worrying about how it will affect their responsibilities, whereas men focus on the sensory aspect, Kelly said. That's why it is especially important for physicians to help women challenge their negative thoughts that make the situation worse, she said.

Thernstrom, who eventually found that she suffers from overlapping arthritic conditions, agrees that many patients with chronic pain need help changing their mind set about pain. She spent a long time feeling angry and frustrated because she was looking for a "magical cure," and despaired when interventions such as physical therapy and medications did not deliver complete, quick solutions.

"Part of what helped me was switching out the model in which I had to be pain free to be happy," Thernstrom said. "Realizing I can have some pain, just like it can be raining outside and I can be happy -- it's all a matter of what level the pain is at."

Despite men and women dealing with pain differently, doctors treat them the same for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, said Dr. Chaim Putterman, chief of rheumatology at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York.

"We may be doing our patients a disservice by doing it that way, and perhaps there are gender-specific influences that need to be taken into account that we're not taking into account," he said.

Psychological counseling for people with chronic pain can help patients reframe how they see their pain and manage the consequences in other areas of their lives, Kelly said.

Many studies have found a connection between depression and chronic pain, with mental stress exacerbating physical discomfort and vice versa. Depression screening should be part of any evaluation of a patient with chronic pain, Putterman said.

Some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia are akin to depression, and medications for the chronic pain condition also work as antidepressants, Putterman said. Cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people change their thinking and behavior patterns, has also been shown to be effective for this condition.

But some chronic pain patients are resistant to mental health referrals and want treatment only for the pain itself, he said.

"You would prefer to have an organic disease than a mental disease because of the stigma that's associated with mental disease in many circles," he said.

In general, women are more dependent on their network of friends and family in dealing with chronic pain than men, who tend to handle issues more by themselves, Putterman said. In his experience, women tend to come to doctor's appointments with members of their family, whereas men tend to go alone.

Thernstrom's new book "The Pain Chronicles," on sale Tuesday, details her own journey through pain as well as a history of pain from ancient Babylon to the present. For her research for the book, she observed doctors consulting with hundreds of patients of chronic pain and then followed some of those patients for eight years as they struggled to overcome their constant discomfort.

Today, her pain interferes with her ability to pick up her children as much as she'd like; she wishes she could carry them around in a sling, for instance, but already she needs a baby sitter's help to take the twins around.

Seeking treatment for pain as early as possible is crucial, she said.

"Pain is like water damage to your house after the house collapses," pain specialist Dr. Daniel Carr told Thernstrom for her book. Thernstrom herself adds, "The time to fix it is when it's a drip."

(CNN) -- The sensation began in Melanie Thernstrom's neck the same day she went for a long swim. It flowed down through her right shoulder to her hand, as if she had a blistering sunburn underneath her skin.

Thernstrom, 32 at the time, had a couple of doctor's appointments about it, but went along with a neurologist's suggestion that it would get better on its own.

"I felt increasingly worried, but somehow not in a way that enabled me to take further action, more in a way that paralyzed me," she said. "I think of pain like one of those sea animals that attacks you by paralyzing you first."

She's now 46, the mother of 9-month-old twins, and still dealing with the pain.

Around the world, chronic pain affects a larger proportion of women than men, said Jennifer Kelly of the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine in Georgia. Doctors are finding that women have more recurrent pain and more disabilities from pain than men, she said. Kelly spoke at the convention of the American Psychological Association in San Diego, California, on Thursday.

Women's chronic pain also tends to be more intense and last longer than men's, she said. Pain-causing illnesses such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome are all more common in women than men, according to the International Association for the Study of Pain.

One possible reason that women bear this burden of pain is hormones, Kelly said. The menstrual cycle can be associated with changes in discomfort among women with chronic pain.

Pain also can have long-lasting consequences that scientists are just beginning to understand. A study in the September issue of the journal PAIN found that women who suffer menstrual cramps have significant brain structure changes compared with women who don't.. Other studies have also found abnormal brain structure changes in people with disorders such as chronic back pain and irritable bowel syndrome. Scientists do not yet know what these changes mean, or if they are reversible.

A 2008 study in the Journal of Neuroscience found that people with chronic pain have neurons firing too much in certain brain regions, which could lead to permanent damage. This may explain the repeated findings in other studies that chronic pain is linked to depression.

Women tend to focus on emotional aspects of pain, worrying about how it will affect their responsibilities, whereas men focus on the sensory aspect, Kelly said. That's why it is especially important for physicians to help women challenge their negative thoughts that make the situation worse, she said.

Thernstrom, who eventually found that she suffers from overlapping arthritic conditions, agrees that many patients with chronic pain need help changing their mind set about pain. She spent a long time feeling angry and frustrated because she was looking for a "magical cure," and despaired when interventions such as physical therapy and medications did not deliver complete, quick solutions.

"Part of what helped me was switching out the model in which I had to be pain free to be happy," Thernstrom said. "Realizing I can have some pain, just like it can be raining outside and I can be happy -- it's all a matter of what level the pain is at."

Despite men and women dealing with pain differently, doctors treat them the same for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, said Dr. Chaim Putterman, chief of rheumatology at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York.

"We may be doing our patients a disservice by doing it that way, and perhaps there are gender-specific influences that need to be taken into account that we're not taking into account," he said.

Psychological counseling for people with chronic pain can help patients reframe how they see their pain and manage the consequences in other areas of their lives, Kelly said.

Many studies have found a connection between depression and chronic pain, with mental stress exacerbating physical discomfort and vice versa. Depression screening should be part of any evaluation of a patient with chronic pain, Putterman said.

Some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia are akin to depression, and medications for the chronic pain condition also work as antidepressants, Putterman said. Cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people change their thinking and behavior patterns, has also been shown to be effective for this condition.

But some chronic pain patients are resistant to mental health referrals and want treatment only for the pain itself, he said.

"You would prefer to have an organic disease than a mental disease because of the stigma that's associated with mental disease in many circles," he said.

In general, women are more dependent on their network of friends and family in dealing with chronic pain than men, who tend to handle issues more by themselves, Putterman said. In his experience, women tend to come to doctor's appointments with members of their family, whereas men tend to go alone.

Thernstrom's new book "The Pain Chronicles," on sale Tuesday, details her own journey through pain as well as a history of pain from ancient Babylon to the present. For her research for the book, she observed doctors consulting with hundreds of patients of chronic pain and then followed some of those patients for eight years as they struggled to overcome their constant discomfort.

Today, her pain interferes with her ability to pick up her children as much as she'd like; she wishes she could carry them around in a sling, for instance, but already she needs a baby sitter's help to take the twins around.

Seeking treatment for pain as early as possible is crucial, she said.

"Pain is like water damage to your house after the house collapses," pain specialist Dr. Daniel Carr told Thernstrom for her book. Thernstrom herself adds, "The time to fix it is when it's a drip."

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Oral Cancer in Cats

Gendler A, Lewis JR, Reetz JA, et al. Computed tomographic features of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats: 18 cases (2002-2008). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2010;236:319-325.

This is a retrospective study of 18 cats with a diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The objective was to describe the computed tomographic (CT) features of OSCC in cats and identify any imaging characteristics associated with survival time. Oral tumors comprise 3% to 10% of all neoplasms of cats with SCC, accounting for 61.2% to 76.2% of those oral tumors. OSCC is a locally invasive disease that is considered to have a low potential for metastasis. On oral examination under general anesthesia, masses were most frequently found in the sublingual or lingual region (7/18) and in the maxilla (5/18). The study enabled identification of several common CT features of OSCC in cats. One finding included marked heterogenous contrast enhancement of masses and adjacent osteolysis on images of sublingual and maxillary mucosal images. CT may be used to define mass extension accurately and facilitate lymph node extension in cats with OSCC, but these features did not correlate with survival time. Soft palate lesions were noted on oral examination 4 times more frequently as on CT images. These findings indicate that a thorough oral examination is particularly important for evaluation of patients with small lesions or those localized to the soft palate, tonsils, or pharynx. CT imaging of patients with head and neck neoplasia is therefore of value for defining the extent of a mass, the involvement of adjacent structures, and the identification of regional metastasis. [VT]

Related articles:
Wypij JM, Fan TM, Fredrickson RL, et al. In vivo and in vitro efficacy of zoledronate for treating oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats. J Vet Intern Med 2008;22:158-163.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Gendler A, Lewis JR, Reetz JA, et al. Computed tomographic features of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats: 18 cases (2002-2008). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2010;236:319-325.

This is a retrospective study of 18 cats with a diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The objective was to describe the computed tomographic (CT) features of OSCC in cats and identify any imaging characteristics associated with survival time. Oral tumors comprise 3% to 10% of all neoplasms of cats with SCC, accounting for 61.2% to 76.2% of those oral tumors. OSCC is a locally invasive disease that is considered to have a low potential for metastasis. On oral examination under general anesthesia, masses were most frequently found in the sublingual or lingual region (7/18) and in the maxilla (5/18). The study enabled identification of several common CT features of OSCC in cats. One finding included marked heterogenous contrast enhancement of masses and adjacent osteolysis on images of sublingual and maxillary mucosal images. CT may be used to define mass extension accurately and facilitate lymph node extension in cats with OSCC, but these features did not correlate with survival time. Soft palate lesions were noted on oral examination 4 times more frequently as on CT images. These findings indicate that a thorough oral examination is particularly important for evaluation of patients with small lesions or those localized to the soft palate, tonsils, or pharynx. CT imaging of patients with head and neck neoplasia is therefore of value for defining the extent of a mass, the involvement of adjacent structures, and the identification of regional metastasis. [VT]

Related articles:
Wypij JM, Fan TM, Fredrickson RL, et al. In vivo and in vitro efficacy of zoledronate for treating oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats. J Vet Intern Med 2008;22:158-163.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

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Liang Zao Bao Newspaper Interview Aug 2010

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