Clinical Characteristics of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in 19 cats from a Single Institution (1980-2013)

Clinical features of feline hepatocellular carcinoma (HCA) have been poorly characterized. In this retrospective study, we describe the signalment, clinical features, clinicopathologic parameters, imaging characteristics, hepatic mass size and lobe distribution, concurrent disorders, and survival in 19 cats with HCA. HCA is a rare neoplasm in elderly cats often associated with weight loss, hyporexia, and increased hepatic transaminase activities. Concurrent disorders (e.g., hyperthyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease, cholangiohepatitis, copper-associated hepatopathy) often confounded interpretation of clinical and clinicopathologic findings; 42% of HCA were incidentally identified. Although an abdominal mass was palpated in only 21% of cats, many cats had masses identified on ultrasonographic imaging with 47% having lesions >4 cm. Tumors were nearly equally distributed between right and left liver lobes, and two cats had HCA in multiple liver lobes. Median survival of eight cats diagnosed antemortem was 1.7 (0.6 to 6.5) yr. Median survival of six cats undergoing HCA surgical resection was 2.4 (1.0 to 6.5) yr with two cats still alive at time of manuscript submission. Following surgical resection, one cat treated with carboplatin survived 4 yr. Two cats with HCA diagnosed antemortem without surgical resection survived for 0.6 and 1 yr.