Metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of aortic body origin in a cat

An 8‐year‐old, female spayed Domestic Shorthair cat was presented to the Auburn University Emergency and Critical Care service for evaluation of pleural effusion and a suspected intrathoracic mass. Computed tomography was performed which confirmed the presence of a large intrathoracic mass, likely heart‐based. Fine‐needle aspirates were obtained and a cytologic diagnosis of a neuroendocrine tumor was made. Treatment with toceranib phosphate was briefly attempted at home by the owners. The cat died at home approximately 6 weeks after diagnosis. Necropsy and subsequent histopathologic examination revealed a metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of aortic body origin. Aortic body tumors are extremely rare in cats and to the authors’ knowledge, a neuroendocrine carcinoma of aortic body origin with distant metastases has not yet been reported in a cat.     

Surgery of hepatic cysts in a cat.

A 2-year-old female Japanese domestic cat weighing 3.6 kg was presented due to marked abdominal distention and was diagnosed as hepatic cyst. The bile acid concentration of the hepatic cyst was as low as the serum bile acid concentration. The membrane of the cysts was excised from the edge of the compressed hepatic tissue and no other surgical manipulation was performed. This surgical procedure is simple and quick compared to hepatic lobectomy, however, it is necessary to evaluate the fluid of the cyst before performing this procedure.     

Mammary invasive micropapillary carcinoma in a male cat: Immunohistochemical description and clinical follow-up

We describe the case of a 14-year-old Domestic Short Hair male cat that presented with a single mammary tumour one centimetre in diameter, classified as invasive micropapillary carcinoma. Histology and immunohistochemistry revealed a high mitotic index, a KI-67 index of 10%, a lack of reactivity to myoepithelial markers, and a dense infiltration with T and B lymphocytes at the periphery of the tumour. Micrometastases were detected in the regional lymph node at the time of surgery. Overall survival time was 10 months with a disease-free interval of 7.5 months. Distant metastases in the sublumbar lymph nodes confirmed the aggressiveness of this tumour, which has recently been subtyped in female cats. This is the first case reported in male cats with a complete follow-up, highlighting the importance of prompt and aggressive treatment in the presence of mammary tumours in male cats.     

Thymic carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation in a calf.

A neuroendocrine carcinoma originating in the thymus was found in a 7-month-old, castrated male, Japanese Black calf. The neoplasm consisted largely of very primitive cells, characterized by the paucity of cytoplasmic organelles, but a few cells were immunoreactive for somatostatin or neurofilaments. The expression of both cytokeratin and neurofilament protein was a feature of neuroendocrine differentiation. This neoplasm considered to be a tumor of a thymic stem cell, with little but indubitable evidence of differentiation into somatostatin-producing cells.     

Immunohistochemical morphometry of pancreatic islets in the cat.

The application of immunohistochemical technique with antisera for glucagon (Glu), insulin (Ins), somatostatin (Som) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) to serial sections of the cat pancreas permitted the quantitative evaluation of the population of 4 endocrine cell types and that of the area, larger diameter and density of islets. The pancreas was divided macroscopically into the 4 portions, duodenal, gastric, anastomotic and splenic. The duodenal portion was characterized by the localization of PP-immunoreactive (IR) cell-rich islets, the dissemination of PP-IR cells in the exocrine parenchyma and the absence of Glu-IR cells. In the duodenal portion, the area, the larger diameter and the density of islets were significantly smaller than those in the other 3 portions. On the contrary, the other 3 portions were marked with the deficiency of PP-IR cells and the existence of Glu-IR cell-rich islets. Ins-IR cells, identified as compact cell masses without any other types of cells, occupied a major part of every islet, composing much the same population throughout the 4 portions. The Som-IR cell population appeared to be closely in parallel with the Glu-IR cell population in all of the portions. It is concluded that all islets are similar in the Ins-IR cell population, but different in the complementary arrangement of Glu- and PP-IR cells. Based on this difference, 2 types of islets can be classified.     

Laryngeal carcinoma in a cat

Laryngeal neoplasia was diagnosed in a 5-year-old domestic shorthair cat examined for cough and gagging episodes. Resection of the mass revealed a squamous carcinoma which had invaded the deep floor of the larynx. Primary neoplasia of the feline larynx is a rare condition but needs to be distinguished from other obstructive laryngeal conditions, using radiography, laryngoscopy and biopsy.     

Canine hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma: an immunohistochemical and electron microscopic study

Ten dogs with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the liver were selected for inclusion in the study. Clinical signs were anorexia (7), vomiting (5), polydipsia/polyuria (3), icterus (2), lethargy (2), weight loss (2), paresis (1), ataxia (1), weakness (1), collapse (1), and urinary tract infection (1). Hematologic and biochemical abnormalities included anemia (2/8), leukocytosis (4/8), high liver enzyme activity (serum alkaline phosphatase, 7/9; alanine transaminase, 7/9; aspartate transaminase, 8/9), and high total bilirubin (6/9). Grossly, the tumors were diffuse, involving all liver lobes in six dogs, and two dogs had various-sized nodules in addition to diffuse involvement. Histologically, there were eight tumors with solid or trabecular pattern (group A), one tumor with cords or rows of neoplastic cells (group B), and one tumor with multiple rosette-like structures (group C). Immunohistochemical studies revealed that all 10 neoplasms were positive for at least one of the endocrine markers used: neuron-specific enolase (NSE; 8/10), synaptophysin (5/10), and chromogranin-A (3/10). A panel of NSE, chromagranin-A, and synaptophysin detected 100% of the tumors in our series. Electron microscopy confirmed the diagnosis by the presence of intracytoplasmic neurosecretory granules in the two examined cases. Our results show that neuroendocrine markers commonly used in humans can be used for the diagnosis of hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma in dogs, preferably a panel of synaptophysin, chromagranin-A, and NSE because chromogranin-A alone is not as useful in dogs as in humans.     

Primary hepatic carcinoid (APUD cell carcinoma) in the cat

The clinical and pathological features of a case of primary hepatic carcinoid in a cat are described. It is believed that this is the first recorded case of such a tumour in cats.     

Primary extraskeletal hepatic osteosarcoma in a cat

A 13-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat with an abdominal mass was evaluated; radiography revealed a radiopaque mass in the cranioventral region of the abdomen. A celiotomy was performed, and the mass was identified histologically as a hepatic osteosarcoma. Complete remission of the tumor was accomplished after partial hepatectomy and adjuvant treatment with carboplatin.     

Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas in a cat.

A feline pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma studied by light and electron microscopy was characterized by three growth patterns: acinar formation, colloid production and sheets of neoplastic cells. Ultrastructurally, the acinar origin of the tumor was determined by the presence of zymogen granules, some of which contained and released microfibrillar material.     

Esophageal adenosquamous carcinoma in a cat

Esophageal carcinoma was observed in an eight-year-old, castrated male, Japanese domestic cat. Histologically, this neoplasm consisted of two different growth patterns, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The results of immunohistochemical examination supported the fact that the two kinds of neoplastic cells have different characteristics. The tumor was, therefore, diagnosed as adenosquamous carcinoma. Esophageal tumors in the cat are very rare and, if any, neither adenocarcinoma nor adenosquamous carcinoma has been reported up to the present.