Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rare biphasic mammary tumor in a 7-year-old female cat
By Pîrvu, Adina-Mihaela et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2025·University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Biphasic mammary tumor in a cat: Case report.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old female Domestic Shorthair cat was diagnosed with a rare type of breast tumor called a biphasic mammary tumor. The tumor had two different types of cancerous cells, which were identified through special tests. After thorough examination, the vet diagnosed it as a carcinosarcoma, a type of aggressive cancer. Treatment options were discussed, and the cat's prognosis would depend on the specific treatment chosen and how well she responds.
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Abstract
Feline mammary tumors (FMT) are the third most common neoplasm in older domestic cats. Among these, biphasic tumors (BT) are particularly rare. BT feature two distinct neoplastic cell populations, a carcinomatous component and a non-epithelial one. This paper describes the histological and immunohistochemical features of a biphasic mammary tumor in a 7-year-old Domestic Shorthair female cat. Histopathology identified two malignant cell populations: a tubular epithelial proliferation and a highly cellular and pleomorphic mesenchymal population. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for pan-cytokeratin, cytokeratin 18, cytokeratin 14, and cytokeratins 5/6 labeled the epithelial component of the tumor. The mesenchymal population was diffusely positive for vimentin and α-SMA, occasionally positive for calponin, and negative for p63. Ki-67 index was higher in the epithelial cells (88.8 %) compared to the interstitial cells (22.9 %). Based on histological and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of carcinosarcoma was made. This study highlights the importance of including mammary BT in the differentials of feline mammary neoplasms, despite their rarity.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40829534/