Diagnosis and treatment of cancer in aged animals

Considerable morbidity can be associated with cancer and the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Knowledge of a tumor's likely clinical behavior and an awareness of the benefits and morbidity associated with treatment will help the clinician and the owner find the most appropriate plan of action for the aged pet with cancer. Tumor cell heterogeneity is a concept of enormous importance in our understanding of neoplasia. Phenotypic variations within cancer cell populations often confound our attempts to cure a patient's cancer. Frequently, we are forced to settle for palliative therapy when our patient's cancer has advanced beyond our ability to rescue.