Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
A biphasic malignant mesothelioma of the peritoneum and pleura in a horse.
- Journal:
- DTW. Deutsche tierarztliche Wochenschrift
- Year:
- 2009
- Authors:
- Ulrich, Reiner et al.
- Affiliation:
- Institut fü · Germany
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This report discusses a serious case of a type of cancer called biphasic malignant mesothelioma, which affected the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen) and pleura (the lining around the lungs) of a 13-year-old Icelandic pony mare. The pony had a history of fluid buildup in her abdomen, known as ascites. After she passed away, a thorough examination revealed significant fluid in her abdomen and chest, along with abnormal growths on the lining surfaces. The cancer was characterized by two different types of cells and showed signs of spreading to nearby lymph nodes. Overall, this case highlights a complex cancer with unusual features, but the treatment outcome is not specified in the report.
Abstract
This report describes the macroscopic, histologic, immunohistologic and ultrastructural characteristics ofa biphasic malignant mesothelioma in the peritoneal and pleural cavity of a 13-year-old Icelandic pony mare, which exhibited recurrent ascites clinically. Immunohistology was performed employing multiple monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratins (CK) and vimentin. The ultrastructural examination included the quantitative evaluation of the length to diameter ratio of the microvilli. Post mortem examination revealed a severe ascites and hydrothorax. The serosal surfaces of the peritoneum and pleura displayed poorly-demarcated, multifocal to coalescing laminar masses and small nodules. Histology revealed a bimorphic mass consisting of spindle-shaped cells and microcystic epithelioid areas. A transcoelomic and local invasive growth pattern as well as lymph node metastases were noticed. Immunohistology revealed a strong expression of CK. Though a low and moderate expression of CK5/6 and CK20 was present, respectively, CK7 and CK10-antigens were lacking. Ultrastructurally, the epithelioid mesothelioma cells displayed long microvilli, cytoplasmic tonofilaments, and desmosomes. Quantitative evaluation of the length to diameter ratio of the 10 longest microvilli revealed a mean value of approximately 16.2. Summarized, this report described the case of a malignant biphasic mesothelioma with an atypical CK20 expression but a characteristic ultrastructural morphology including long microvilli.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19462642/