Long-term survival of a feline with non-T/B large granular lymphocyte lymphoma treated with chemotherapy and activated lymphocyte therapy

BACKGROUND: Feline large granular lymphocyte lymphoma (LGLL) is a grave prognosis. However, the effectiveness of concurrent treatment with chemotherapy and activated lymphocyte therapy for feline LGLL has not been evaluated. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 7-year-old, castrated male, domestic cat presented with gastrointestinal symptoms and an abdominal mass. A Tru-Cut biopsy of the mass revealed LGLL. The cat responded well to chemotherapy regimens of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone, and L-asparaginase. Furthermore, activated lymphocyte therapy was added as an adjuvant treatment. The cat survived 982 days from the first presentation and experienced few adverse events. Necropsy was performed and immunohistochemistry revealed that the neoplastic lymphocytes were CD3(−)/CD20(−) cells. The final diagnosis was non-T/B LGLL. CONCLUSION: Minimal physical burden and a good initial response to chemotherapy might have contributed to long-term survival in the present case. Moreover, activated lymphocyte therapy could be performed safely and may be a feasible treatment for feline non-T/B LGLL.