title: Early detection, aggressive therapy: optimizing the management of feline mammary masses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article reviews the incidence, etiology, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of mammary tumors in cats.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Approximately 80% of feline mammary masses are malignant, with adenocarcinoma being the most common tumor type. Early diagnosis is, therefore, essential to improve the prognosis and quality of life of affected cats.
  Surgery is the most widely used treatment for malignant tumors. However, as mammary tumors are often advanced and metastasis has already occurred by the time of diagnosis, surgery routinely does not provide a cure. Ovariohysterectomy or hormonal therapy are the treatments of choice for fibroadenomatous hyperplasia (the most common benign mass) and usually lead to a successful outcome.
authors.affiliation: Catedra y Servicio de Reproducción Animal, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Calle 60 y 118 S/N (1900), La Plata, Argentina. fgimenez@fcv.unlp.edu.ar
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giménez
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hecht
authors.forename: Linden E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Alfred M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Legendre
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002415:Cats; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000662:veterinary; D014730:Veterinary Medicine