Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Subsequent Adjuvant Chemotherapy with Hydroxyurea after Craniotomy in a Cat with a Meningioma

Abstract

An 11-year-old neutered male domestic short-haired cat presented with neurological symptoms that developed over a three-month period. These included mental dullness, vocalization, ataxia, and visual impairment. The patient was diagnosed with a primary intracranial tumor at a local animal hospital. After the first diagnosis, the cat was administered hydroxyurea, prednisolone, omeprazole, and gabapentin for 3 months. After the initiation of medical treatment, the patient’s clinical symptoms did not improve and the size of the tumor was static on the second magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The dosage of hydroxyurea and prednisolone was increased for two weeks. The patient’s clinical signs improved, and subsequently, a craniotomy was performed. The clinical signs completely resolved six days after surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy with hydroxyurea was continuously administered after the craniotomy. The patient demonstrated a good clinical status during the nine-month follow-up period. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has not yet been reported for meningiomas in cats. Further clinical trials with longer follow-up periods and larger patient cohorts will be required to confirm the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with hydroxyurea in feline meningioma. © The Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics.