A subcutaneous mass on the neck of a horse

A 25-year-old Arabian gelding was presented for investigation of a subcutaneous neck mass. Fine-needle aspirates and impression smears revealed mast cells with widely varying degrees of cytoplasmic granulation and scattered eosinophils. Histopathology revealed a poorly circumscribed mass composed of sheets and bundles of mast cells with a large population of eosinophils. The mast cells were separated into numerous lobules by a heavy collagenous stroma, and multifocal collagen necrosis was present. Strong reactivity of the tumor cells for both Giemsa and toluidine blue stains confirmed the diagnosis of a mast cell tumor, and a Luna stain accentuated the eosinophilic infiltrates. Cutaneous mast cell tumors are found in many domestic animals but are uncommonly encountered in horses. Equine cutaneous mast cell tumors are usually benign, and there are no reports of visceral metastasis. Surgical excision is thought to be curative.     

Mid-to-caudal partial hemipelvectomy with limb preservation for ischial tumor in a dog

A 10-year-old spayed female Golden Retriever was referred for hindlimb lameness. A firm mass was palpated over the right caudal pelvis. Computed tomography revealed an osteolytic bone region and an associated periosteal reaction in the ischium, including the acetabulum. The histological diagnosis was sarcoma of unknown origin. A mid-to-caudal partial hemipelvectomy was performed to remove the mass. Femoral head and neck osteotomy was performed to allow hindlimb preservation. Following surgery, the dog regained satisfactory hindlimb use over time and was alive for 821 days with no recurrence or metastatic disease. This report indicates that mid-to-caudal partial hemipelvectomy with femoral head and neck osteotomy is technically feasible and allows for tumor control with preservation of the hindlimb and its function.     

Sarcoma development after radiotherapy in two dogs

Two dogs were treated with a hypofractionated course of radiotherapy following surgical excision of an intermediate grade mast cell tumour and a round cell tumour, respectively. Both dogs developed a sarcoma of the bone, within the irradiated site, several years after the initial radiotherapy treatment. Bone tumours arising within a previously irradiated area are well‐recognized late radiotherapy side‐effect in humans but have been reported infrequently in dogs. These are the first case reports to describe bone sarcomas in the appendicular skeleton at a site, which had been previously treated by a hypofractionated course of radiotherapy for an unrelated tumour.     

Soft tissue sarcomas and mast cell tumours in dogs; clinical behaviour and response to surgery

OBJECTIVE: To characterise the types of canine soft tissue sarcoma and mast cell tumour treated surgically at the University Veterinary Centre, Sydney. To evaluate the success of surgical treatment of these tumours and identify variables predictive of local recurrence and survival. To establish whether conclusions drawn from previous international studies are applicable to the University Veterinary Centre, Sydney, dog population and vice versa. DESIGN: Clinical presentation and results of surgical excision of 54 soft tissue sarcomas and 70 mast cell tumours affecting the trunk and limbs of dogs at the University Veterinary Centre, Sydney, between 1989 and 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Cross-bred dogs and Rhodesian Ridgebacks were at significantly greater risk of developing soft tissue sarcomas, and Boxers, Australian Cattle Dogs and Staffordshire Bull Terriers were at significantly greater risk of developing mast cell tumours than other breeds. Fine needle aspiration biopsy yielded a correct diagnosis in 62.5% of soft tissue sarcomas and 96% of mast cell tumours. Local recurrence was encountered after surgical excision in 7.4% of soft tissue sarcomas and 7.3% of mast cell tumours. Metastasis occurred in 6% of soft tissue sarcomas and 12% of mast cell tumours. The most significant risk factors for local recurrence were contaminated surgical margins (soft tissue sarcomas) and histological grade (mast cell tumours). Due to the low number of animals experiencing metastasis, no conclusions could be drawn about significant risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive surgical management of soft tissue sarcomas and mast cell tumours is associated with a low incidence of local recurrence. The type, location and behaviour of mast cell tumours and soft tissue sarcomas in the population of dogs presented to the University Veterinary Centre, Sydney are similar to those reported by others.     

Metastatic cancer of unknown primary in 21 dogs

The aim of this retrospective study was to describe clinical features, treatment and outcome of 21 dogs with metastatic cancer of unknown primary (MCUP), a biopsy‐proven malignancy being diagnosed at a metastatic stage, in which the anatomical origin of the primary tumour cannot be detected. All dogs underwent total‐body computed tomography. Signalment, type and duration of clinical signs, metastasis site, pathology results, treatment and outcome were recorded. Carcinoma was the most common diagnosis (57.1%), followed by sarcoma, melanoma and mast cell tumour. The median number of disease sites per dog was 2, with bones, lymph nodes, lungs and spleen being the most frequent metastatic locations. The median survival for all dogs was 30 days. Overall, a primary site was not identified in 20 (95.2%) dogs. MCUP encompasses a variety of different pathologic entities and harbours a poor prognosis.     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—EQUINE MAST CELL TUMOR

Equine mast cell tumors are typically benign solitary growths of the head, neck, trunk, or limbs. When involving the limbs, these masses tend to be adjacent to joints without involving them. In radiographs there is often a well-circumscribed soft tissue mass with granular mineralization. The Arabian breed appears to be over represented. Surgical removal is usually curative. In this report, we describe the diagnosis, clinical features, and management of mast cell tumors in the rear limb of a horse.     

Mast cell tumors in three ferrets

Pruritic open skin lesions (5 mm diameter) on the thorax, neck, or head of 3 ferrets were diagnosed as mast cell tumors. Diagnosis of the tumors was based on histologic examination of biopsy specimens. Histologic diagnosis was necessary because the lesions had been treated as mycotic or bacterial ulcers and did not respond to conventional treatment. Excised mast cell tumors did not recur, and malignant behavior of the tumors was not observed.     

Pilot study utilizing Fluorine‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography/computed tomography for glycolytic phenotyping of canine mast cell tumors

The goal of this prospective pilot study was to use naturally occurring canine mast cell tumors of various grades and stages as a model for attempting to determine how glucose uptake and markers of biologic behavior are correlated. It was hypothesized that enhanced glucose uptake, as measured by 2‐[fluorine‐18]fluoro‐d ‐glucose‐positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F18 FDG PET‐CT), would correlate with histologic grade. Dogs were recruited for this study from a population referred for treatment of cytologically or histologically confirmed mast cell tumors. Patients were staged utilizing standard of care methods (abdominal ultrasound and three view thoracic radiographs), followed by a whole body F18 FDG PET‐CT. Results of the F18 FDG PET‐CT were analyzed for possible metastasis and standard uptake value maximum (SUV_max) of identified lesions. Incisional or excisional biopsies of the accessible mast cell tumors were obtained and histology performed. Results were then analyzed to look for a possible correlation between the grade of mast cell tumors and SUV_max. A total of nine animals were included in the sample. Findings indicated that there was a correlation between grade of mast cell tumors and SUV_max as determined by F18 FDG PET‐CT (p‐value = 0.073, significance ≤ 0.1). Based on the limited power of this study, it is felt that further research to examine the relationship between glucose utilization and biologic aggressiveness in canine mast cell tumors is warranted. This study was unable to show that F18 FDG PET‐CT was a better staging tool than standard of care methods.     

Anti-tumor evaluation of benzaldehyde in the dog and cat

Fourteen dogs and 11 cats with various malignant tumors were treated daily with benzaldehyde at a dosage rate of 10 mg/kg of body weight, orally, divided into 4 doses. Clinical signs of toxicosis were not observed. A partial response (greater than 50% regression) was observed in animals with an oral squamous cell carcinoma and an oral melanoma. A minimal response (less than 50% regression) was observed in animals with a sweat gland adenocarcinoma and a mast cell sarcoma. One dog with an oral melanoma had stabilization of tumor growth for 8 weeks. Seemingly, benzaldehyde has only minimal anti-tumor activity at the dose studied.     

¹⁸F-FDG and ¹¹C-MET positron emission tomography findings of cutaneous mast cell tumor in a dog

A 12-year-old intact male Maltese dog presented with an inguinal mass. Histopathology revealed a grade III mast cell tumor. Computed tomography demonstrated pulmonary and inguinal nodules and masses. Chemotherapy was performed using a vinblastine/prednisone protocol, and the inguinal mass disappeared 5 weeks later. Use of 2-deoxy-2-[1?F]fluoro-D-glucose (1?F-FDG) and (L)-[methyl- 11C]methionine (11C-MET)-positron emission tomography (PET) demonstrated hypermetabolic areas in the lungs and inguinal region one week after initial chemotherapy. The standardized uptake values of 1?F-FDG were not different between lung and inguinal lesions; however, the inguinal lesion had a higher 11C-MET standardized uptake value than the lung lesions. The hypermetabolic area was still visible on the second 1?F-FDG-PET scan despite the disappearance of the mass. This is the first report of 11C-MET-PET findings associated with a cutaneous mast cell tumor in a dog.     

Mast cell sarcoma of the larynx in a dog: a case report

An 8-year-old, spayed, female miniature poodle was presented to the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital (UPVH) with signs of mild respiratory distress related to increasing laryngeal obstruction. The dog was found to have a unicentric mast cell sarcoma involving the larynx, with tumour infiltration of the tissues between the thyroid and arytenoid cartilages as well as subglottic narrowing. Treatment and differential diagnosis are described.     

Prospective trial of metronomic chlorambucil chemotherapy in dogs with naturally occurring cancer

The purpose of this study was to assess the toxicoses and antitumor activity of metronomic chlorambucil at a dosage of 4 mg m(-2) daily in dogs with naturally occurring cancer. Thirty-six dogs were enrolled in the study. The protocol was well tolerated with no grade 3 or 4 toxicoses noted. Complete remission was achieved, and lasted over 35 weeks in three dogs (mast cell tumour, soft tissue sarcoma and thyroid carcinoma). Partial remission was noted in 1 dog with histiocytic sarcoma (39 weeks duration) for an overall remission rate of 11% (4 of 36). Stable disease was noted in 17 dogs (47%) with various other cancers. The median progression-free interval was 61 days, and the median survival time was 153 days. Chlorambucil given in a metronomic protocol showed antitumor activity in dogs with a variety of naturally occurring cancers.     

Abdominal CT evaluation of the liver and spleen for staging mast cell tumors in dogs yields nonspecific results

Canine mast cell tumor staging is commonly performed using abdominal ultrasonography and fine‐needle aspiration cytology of masses, lymph nodes, and hepatic and splenic parenchyma. Computed tomography is used for abdominal, thoracic, or whole body imaging in staging mast cell tumors in the authors’ institution enabling evaluation of multiple body areas in one examination. The aim of this study was to compare the CT examinations acquired for staging of mast cell disease to their subsequent liver and spleen cytology findings. Medical records of dogs with primary mast cell tumors that underwent abdominal CT and concurrent liver and spleen aspirates were reviewed. The CT examinations were evaluated for attenuation, size, and margination of the liver and spleen. The relationship between CT findings and cytology results was analyzed. Forty‐nine dogs matched the inclusion criteria: five of forty‐nine dogs with cutaneous mast cell tumors were positive for metastasis from liver and/or spleen aspirates. Of the five dogs with cytological evidence of liver or spleen metastasis, four had normal CT liver attenuation and size, one dog had concurrent primary hepatocellular neoplasia, four dogs had abnormal splenic parenchyma (two nodular and two diffuse heterogeneity), and one dog had a normal attenuation of the spleen. In four dogs, the spleen was subjectively enlarged. Computed tomographic evaluation of the liver showed no consistent pattern associated with mast cell metastasis and did not predict cytology results. Multifocal splenic hypoattenuating lesions more commonly coincided with mast cell metastasis. Sampling of the liver and spleen remains to be considered in the absence of abnormal CT findings for full staging.     

Lymphotropic nanoparticle magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosing metastatic lymph nodes in dogs with malignant head and neck tumours

Lymphotropic nanoparticle magnetic resonance imaging (LNMRI) utilises ultrasmall paramagnetic iron nanoparticles (USPIOs) for imaging of metastatic lymph nodes in patients afflicted with cancer. LNMRI has been shown to be a highly effective and accurate way to diagnose metastasis in humans but has not been commonly reported on in veterinary medicine. USPIOs are phagocytised by macrophages and then localised to lymph nodes where they create a susceptibility artefact on gradient echo MRI sequences. In this study dogs (n = 24) with naturally occurring head and neck tumours were imaged with LNMRI then had mandibular and retropharyngeal lymph nodes extirpated for histological analysis. Subjective and objective analysis of the LNMRI images was performed and imaging results compared to histology as the gold standard. A total of 149 lymph nodes were included in this study. The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy was 64%, 94.4% and 89.3% respectively. However, if dogs with mast cell tumours were excluded from analysis the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy rose to 85.7%, 95.7% and 94.6%. LNMRI is potentially an accurate way to determine the presence of lymph node metastasis in dogs with some types of head and neck tumours. However, LNMRI has only moderate accuracy in dogs with oral or mucocutaneous mast cell tumours in this region.     

Use of hyperthermia and radiotherapy in treatment of a large mast cell sarcoma in a dog

A large infiltrating mast cell sarcoma in a dog, which had been refractory before surgical excision, was controlled 2 months after completion of a combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia regimen. Treatment resulted in rapid tumor necrosis and resultant ulceration of adjacent skin. Ulceration was transient, resolving concurrently with tumor control. Radiation was administered as 3.5-Gy fractions 3 times/week, resulting in a total dose of 45.5 Gy in 13 treatments. Hyperthermia (44 C for 30 minutes) was given 4 to 5 hours after radiotherapy, once a week during the first 3 weeks of treatment.     

Electron microscopy of mast cells in the venous wall of canine liver

Although many mast cells locate under the endothelial layer along the sublobular veins in canine liver, the cell function remains to be fully defined. To establish the nature of the canine mast cell, the mast cells were examined by electron microscopy. A few monocytes contacted with luminal surface of endothelial cells under which mast cells situated. To confirm the chemotaxis of monocyte by hepatic mast cells, the hepatic venous vessels were treated with a histamine releaser (compound 48/80). The monocytes invaded into the subendothelial layer and extended their pseudopodium to the degranulated mast cells. It presumes that some mediators within the mast cell granules might act as a chemotactic substance to the monocyte. On the contrary, mast cells were migrating from subendothelial layer to venous lumen under normal condition. The migrating mast cell showed strong acid phosphatase reaction in their granules. It suggests that the granules of migrating mast cell became visible to acid phosphatase activity by a physical force such as contact stimulation, and that a part of mast cells remigrate from the venous wall to other places by the blood flow. Furthermore, hepatic mast cells were revealed to contain both endothelin-1 and histamine in their granules by immunocytochemistry. As these substances have an activity of stronger venous constriction, it seems that the mast cells play an important role in the blood flow regulation of the canine liver, mast cell, monocyte.     

Orthopaedic disease affecting the pelvic region of the cat

Clinical cases of pelvic disease in the cat were surveyed over a 5 year period and were classified into proximal femoral epiphyseal separation and femoral neck fracture (19-6%), anterodorsal hip luxation (19-6%), pelvic fracture (34%), sacroiliac separation (16%), sacral and coccygeal fracture separation (7-2%) and neoplasia (3-1%).
Treatment of proximal femoral epiphyseal separation and femoral neck fracture by excision arthroplasty gave a more rapid return to soundness compared with conservative treatment. The majority of hip luxations responded well to external reduction and restricted exercise for 2-4 days. All cases of pelvic fract. ure were treated conservatively (2-14 days of 'cage-rest') and showed marked improvement within 2 weeks. Radiographic and clinical assessment of these revealed that the fractured bones eventually stabilized in their displaced positions. Sacral and coccygeal fracture separations required careful evaluation for bladder function and some cases needed tail amputation. Certain complications associated with conservative treatment of pelvic injuries in cats have been considered although in no case did these prove a serious clinical problem. Two cases of giant cell sarcoma and one of spindle cell sarcoma, of periosteal origin, were included in the survey.     

Cytologic–histologic concordance in the diagnosis of neoplasia in canine and feline lymph nodes: a retrospective study of 367 cases

Lymph nodes are frequently sampled in dogs and cats for the diagnosis of primary and metastatic neoplasia. We determined the accuracy of cytologic diagnosis in lymph nodes using histology as the gold standard. Lymph node reports (2001–2011) were retrospectively evaluated and diagnoses were categorized as neoplastic or non‐neoplastic. Lymph nodes from 296 dogs and 71 cats included 157 (42.7%) non‐neoplastic lesions, 62 (16.9%) lymphomas and 148 (40.3%) metastatic neoplasms. Cytology had a sensitivity of 66.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 60.0–72.8%], specificity of 91.5% (CI 86.3–95.2%), and accuracy of 77.2% (CI 72.6–81.3%) for neoplasia. Likelihood of malignancy with a positive cytologic diagnosis of neoplasia was 93.0%. High proportions of false‐negative results were found in mesenteric T‐cell lymphoma (22/35, 63%, mainly cats), metastatic sarcoma (8/14, 57%) and metastatic mast cell tumour (15/48, 31%, mainly dogs). Factors contributing to discrepancies included well‐differentiated lymphocyte morphology, focal distribution of metastases and poorly defined criteria for metastatic mast cell tumours.