Skeletal metastasis from a squamous cell carcinoma of the nictitating membrane in a Haflinger horse |
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| Authors: | M de Preux C Gurtner I Klebic M A Waschk C Drögemüller H P Brünisholz |
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| Institution: | 1. Swiss Institute for Equine Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, and Agroscope, Bern, Switzerland;2. Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland;3. Division of Clinical Radiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland;4. Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland |
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| Abstract: | A 12-year-old Haflinger gelding with a history of a persistent cough was referred for evaluation of a severe lameness of the left forelimb. An excision of the right nictitans had been performed 2 years prior to presentation, and a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with embolic neoplastic cells in several blood vessels had been confirmed by histopathology. The origin of the lameness could not be localised with regional analgesia; therefore, a nuclear scintigraphic examination was performed. This revealed an area of marked increased radiopharmaceutical uptake at the level of the caudodorsal border of the left scapula. Further examination, including ultrasound-guided biopsy of the suspect region, confirmed the presence of SCC invading the scapula. Due to poor a prognosis, the horse was subjected to euthanasia. Prior to euthanasia, the gelding was tested homozygous for the missense variant in the damage-specific DNA-binding protein 2 (DDB2) gene, which is reported as a risk factor for the development of nictitans SCC in Haflinger horses. Post-mortem evaluation revealed multiple SCC metastasis, affecting the scapula, the liver and the lungs. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of bone metastasis following a primary periocular SCC in a horse. |
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| Keywords: | horse Haflinger breed squamous cell carcinoma metastasis scapula bone risk factor |
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