Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in two cats

Two cases of feline oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma are described. In both cases, diagnosis was achieved by radiography, endoscopy and cytology, and later confirmed by histology. One cat underwent oesophagectomy followed by end-to-end anastomosis, but died three days postsurgery; the second cat was euthanased after diagnosis.     

Multiple squamous cell carcinoma of the digits in two cats

This paper describes the clinical and pathological features of two cats with squamous cell carcinoma affecting several digits. Similar lesions have been described in dogs and humans.     

Photodynamic therapy of superficial nasal planum squamous cell carcinomas in cats: 55 cases

Background: Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are common skin tumors in cats. We investigated photodynamic therapy (PDT) using the photosensitizing agent 5‐aminolaevulinic acid (5‐ALA) topically and a high‐intensity red light source. Hypothesis: PDT is a safe and effective treatment for feline SCCs. Animals: Fifty‐five client‐owned cats with superficial nasal planum SCCs. Methods: Prospective, uncontrolled clinical trial. PDT was performed using topical 5‐ALA and light of peak wavelength 635 nm. Adverse effects, response, and tumor control were evaluated. Results: 53/55 (96%) cats responded to therapy, and there was a complete response in 47/55 (85%). Six cats (11%) had a partial response. Of the 47 cats with complete response to a single treatment, 24 recurred (51%), with a median time to recurrence of 157 days (95% confidence interval, 109–205 days). Repeat PDT was performed in 22 cats, and at a median follow‐up of 1,146 days, 23 (45%) cats were alive and disease free, 17 (33%) had to be euthanized due to tumor recurrence, and 11 (22%) were euthanized for other reasons. Only transient mild local adverse effects were observed after treatment. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: PDT using 5‐ALA and a red light source was safe, well tolerated, and effective in the treatment of superficial nasal planum SCCs of cats and offers an alternative to conventional therapy. Although initial response rates were high, this treatment did not lead to a durable remission or cure in all cases.     

Ki67 reactivity in nasal and periocular squamous cell carcinomas in cats treated with electron beam radiation therapy

Squamous cell carcinomas of sparsely haired skin are relatively common tumors in cats, and these tumors likely exhibit a rapid growth rate. Thus, we evaluated response and duration of response in relation to the Ki67 proliferative reactivity in such tumors. Seventeen cats with confirmed squamous cell carcinomas and treated with an accelerated, hypofractionated electron beam radiation protocol were included in the study. For all of them histologic grading, Ki67 reactivity, response, and disease-free interval (DFI) were evaluated. Response to therapy was excellent (94% complete response rate) with a median DFI of 414 days. Only moderate acute and few long-term adverse effects were seen. Cats with tumors with a low Ki67 reactivity had markedly shorter DFIs than cats with tumors with high Ki67 reactivity. We concluded that an accelerated, hypofractionated electron beam radiation therapy protocol is well suited for feline squamous cell carcinomas. The protocol appears especially efficacious in tumors with a high Ki67 reactivity.     

Hypercalcemia associated with rodenticide poisoning in three cats

Hypercalcemia (12.0 to 18.3 mg/dl) was detected in 3 cats that had eaten a rodenticide that contained cholecalciferol. Clinical signs included lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, and polydipsia. Treatment with furosemide and fluids administered IV resulted in normalization of the serum calcium concentration and in remission of the clinical signs in 2 cats. One cat with a serum calcium concentration of 18.3 mg/dl did not have clinical signs, was not treated, and was reportedly normal 9 months after initial examination. We attributed the uniformly favorable outcome of exposure to the rodenticide in these cats to the small quantity of the toxin ingested.     

Detection of novel papillomaviruslike sequences in paraffin-embedded specimens of invasive and in situ squamous cell carcinomas from cats

OBJECTIVE: To detect and partially characterize papillomavirus (PV) DNA in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tumor specimens from cats. SAMPLE POPULATION: 54 formalin-fixed paraffinembedded skin biopsy specimens were examined. Specimens originated from Bowenoid in situ SCC (BISC; n = 21), invasive SCC (22), and skin affected by miscellaneous nonneoplastic conditions (11). PROCEDURES: Samples from each tissue block underwent DNA extraction after deparaffinization, and PCR assays were performed. Two sets of primers derived from PV E1 were used. The first set of primers was designed for the narrow-range PCR assay and was able to generate amplification products of feline PV (FePV), canine oral PV, or closely related PVs. The second set of primers was selected for the broad-range PCR assay because of its ability to amplify DNA from 64 human PVs. Sequence analysis of each amplified DNA was performed. RESULTS: 1 of the 21 specimens of BISC was positive for PV DNA on the basis of narrow-range PCR assay results, whereas all the other specimens (BISC, invasive SCC, and controls) had negative results for PV DNA. In contrast, 5 of 21 BISC specimens and 4 of 22 invasive SCC specimens were positive for PV DNA on the basis of broad-range PCR assay results. Sequence analysis revealed that only 1 specimen was infected by a virus closely related to classic FePV. In the 8 other specimens positive for PV DNA, DNA of unknown PVs was uncovered. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Bowenoid in situ SCC and invasive SCC of cats may be associated with PVs of genetic diversity.     

Treatment of ocular squamous cell carcinomas in cattle with interleukin-2

In total, 174 bovine ocular squamous cell carcinomas of varying sizes (20 to 2800 mm(2) in area) were treated daily with peritumoural injections of solvent, or solvent containing 5000 U, 20,000 U, 200,000 U, 500,000 U, 1 million U or 2 million U interleukin-2 (IL-2) for 10 days. The tumours were measured and clinically staged before treatment and at one, three, four, nine and 20 months after treatment. After 20 months, 14 per cent of the tumours treated with the solvent had regressed completely, a significantly smaller proportion than the 55 per cent treated with 5000 U IL-2, 52 per cent treated with 20,000 U IL-2, 58 per cent treated with 200,000 U IL-2, 50 per cent treated with 500,000 U IL-2, 69 per cent of tumours treated with 1 million U IL-2, 52 per cent treated with 2 million U IL-2. The tumours on the third eyelid and limbus were the most responsive.     

The prognosis in cats bearing squamous cell carcinoma

During the past 2 years, follow-up studies have been carried out on twenty cats following surgery for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma. An attempt has been made to correlate the permitted survival time of the animal with the site of the tumour, its degree of differentiation, and the length of time between initial detection and surgery. In seven cats with intra-oral tumours the prognosis was very poor. Four out of seven cats were destroyed within 7 weeks, and all were destroyed within 14 weeks. All animals had to be killed because of local recurrence and it did not appear that the degree of differentiation of the tumour was important. In animals with squamous carcinoma in the skin, the prognosis could be correlated with the degree of differentiation of the tumour, but not with the site. Fifty percent of animals with poorly differentiated tumours were destroyed within 12 weeks, and the longest survival time was 20 weeks. All animals with well-differentiated tumours survived for more than 36 weeks. Résumé. Pendant deux ans, nous avons suivi le progres de vingt chats apres une intervention chirurgicale pour traiter des carcinomes de cellules squameuses. Nous avons essaye d'établir un rapport entre la survie et le lieu du neoplasme, sa difierentiation et l'intervalle entre sa detection initielle et l'enlevement. Le prognostic etait tres mauvais chez sept chats avec des tumeurs burralles. Quatre sur sept sonts morts dans sept seamines et tous sonts morts avant quatorze semaines. Tous les animaux etarent mise a mort a cause des reapparitions locales et il ne semble pas que le degre de differentiation est important. Chez les animaux portant des carcinomes de cellules squameuses a la peau il y avait un rapport entre le prognostic et le degre de differentiation de la tumeur, mais pas avec sa location. Chez les animaux portant des tumeurs peu differencies, conquette pour cent sont morts en douze semaines et la survie la plus etendue etait de vingt semaines, tendis que tous les animaux portant dea tumeurs bien differencies sonts morts apres trente six semaines. Zusammenfassung. Innerhalb der latzten zwei Jahren sind Studien an 20 katzen, die wegen Plattenzeil carcinom in chirurgischer Behandlung waren, gemacht worden. Ein Versuch, die Überlebens-zeit des Tieres mit der Lage des Tumors, seinem Differenzierungs-grad, und der Zeitspanne zwishen Diagnose und Chirurgie in Zusammenhang zu bringen, wurde unternommen. Im Falle von 7 Katzen mit Mundhöhlen tumoren war die Prognose sehr schiecht. 4/7 Katzen starben innerhalb von 7 Wochen, und alle innerhalb von 14 Wochen. Alle Tiere wurden wegen localen Rezidivtumoren getötet, und der Differenzierungsgrad schien nicht massgebend zu sein. In Tieren mit Plattenzell carcinom der Haut hing die Prognose vom Differenzierungsgrad, aber nicht von der Lage, ab. 50% der Tiere mit schlecht differentierzen Tumoren starben innerhalb von 12 Wochen, und die Längste Uberlebens zeit war 20 Wochen, während alle Tierre mit gut differenzierte Tumoren mehr als 36 Wochen überlebten.     

Papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas of horses

In a retrospective study encompassing 13 years of diagnostic work, papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas from horses were screened for papilloma-virus antigens, using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. Papillomas were most commonly found on the penis and vulva, followed by cutaneous, ocular, and oral locations. Squamous cell carcinomas were most frequently located on the third eyelid and cornea, followed by genital, oral, maxillary sinus, and cutaneous sites. Papillomavirus structural antigens were detected in 7 cutaneous and 5 genital papillomas, but not in squamous cell carcinomas.     

Hypercalcemia in two Amazon parrots with malignant lymphoma

Malignant lymphoma is a common malignancy in birds. Paraneoplastic syndromes, which are commonly observed in domestic animals, have not been reported in association with lymphoma in birds. Hypercalcemia and hyperglobulinemia were found on plasma chemistry in two Amazon parrots, which were presented with aspecific symptoms. In both cases radiography and ultrasound demonstrated signs of hepatomegaly, which proved to be due to malignant lymphoma on postmortem examination. The hypercalcemia was found to be most consistent with a paraneoplastic effect of the malignant lymphoma in these birds. The exact origin of the hyperglobulinemia remains unclear.     

Plasma cell pododermatitis with chronic footpad hemorrhage in two cats

Plasma cell pododermatitis was diagnosed in 2 cats with enlargement of the metacarpal and metatarsal footpads, ulceration of one of the affected footpads, and a history of chronic hemorrhage from the ulcerations. One cat was anemic (PCV, 14.6%). The ulcers were debrided and sutured to control hemorrhage, and the cats were treated with immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids. Both cats had considerable reduction in footpad size after 3 to 4 weeks of treatment. Although there is evidence to suggest that plasma cell pododermatitis might be immune-mediated, or perhaps an allergic disease, the cause has yet to be determined.     

Giant cell hepatitis in two young cats

A very rare case of the liver lesion characterized by formation of multinucleated giant hepatocytes with inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in two young (1.5 years and 2 years old) cats bearing thymic malignant lymphoma. Histopathological features of this liver lesion were very similar to giant cell hepatitis (GCH) in human neonates and infants. Therefore, the lesion was diagnosed as feline GCH.     

Metastatic synovial cell sarcoma in two cats

Synovial cell sarcoma (SCS) with metastasis to the regional lymph node was diagnosed in two cats. Synovial cell sarcomas are rare in cats and metastatic SCS has not previously been reported. In both cases, treatment consisted of limb amputation and adjuvant doxorubicin. Local tumour recurrence and pulmonary metastases were diagnosed in one cat 316 days postoperatively. This cat died of chronic renal failure 444 days after limb amputation. The second cat died of an acute pulmonary thromboembolism 41 days postoperatively without evidence of local tumour recurrence or metastatic disease.     

Comparison of prevalence of Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 in squamous cell carcinomas in cats between Taiwan and Japan

Felis catus papillomavirus (FcaPV), especially type 2 (FcaPV2) is considered as one of the causative agents in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in cats. However, our previous study detected FcaPV3 and FcaPV4, but not FcaPV2 in feline SCCs collected in Japan, suggesting that the prevalence of FcaPV2 in SCC may vary depending on geographic locations. To evaluate this hypothesis, two conventional PCR reactions targeting E1 and E7 genes were performed to detect FcaPV2 in feline SCC samples collected in Taiwan and Japan. While 46.9% (23/49) of feline SCC cases from Taiwan were PCR positive for FcaPV2, only 8.6% (3/35) cases from Japan were positive. Our result suggests that the prevalence of FcaPV2 in feline SCCs may depend on the region.