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What is an adipose tumor?
Almost all tumors of adipose tissue (fat) are slow-growing and benign. They are called lipomas. The tumors are usually permanently cured by full surgical removal. Rarely, they may keep growing and cause problems because of their size and infiltration of adjacent structures. A few tumors (liposarcomas) are well-demarcated but of low grade malignancy so they recur locally. Spread to other parts of the body (metastasis) is extremely rare but there is a syndrome of multiple tumors called lipomatosis.

Endocrine glands produce specialized chemicals called "hormones." These regulate and integrate many activities to maintain internal stability of the body. The hormones pass directly into the blood to affect target cells elsewhere. The distinct endocrine glands are the adrenals, thyroid, parathyroids, pituitary glands and islets in the pancreas although certain hormones are also produced by many cells elsewhere in the body. The pituitary gland at the base of the brain links to other endocrine glands and regulates hormone production by the adrenals, thyroid and sexual organs as well as growth and our day to day cycles of activity (diurnal rhythm).

What is an anal sac gland tumor?
This tumor is a disordered and purposeless overgrowth of cells originating from the modified sweat glands of an anal sac. There are a pair of anal sacs, one each side of the anus between the external and internal anal sphincter. The glands normally produce bad-smelling grey-brown granular secretions. The tumor is usually rapidly growing, almost always malignant (spreading), and extends deep into surrounding tissues. There can be abnormal hormone production by the tumor cells and these hormones can cause widespread physiological effects in the animal. The malignant tumor (anal gland carcinoma) may also spread to other parts of the body (metastasize), but such metastasis is usually slow to occur.