Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with spinal nerve tumor that spread to the central nervous system
By Poli, Federica et al.·Published in Open veterinary journal·2019·Valdinievole Veterinary Clinic, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Central nervous system metastasis of an intradural malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old French Bulldog was brought in because he couldn't walk and was weak in all four legs. An MRI revealed a tumor near his neck that was pressing on his nerves. The tumor was surgically removed, and within just four days, he was able to walk again. However, ten months later, follow-up imaging showed that the tumor had returned and spread to another area in his spine. This type of tumor, called a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, is rare and can sometimes spread to the central nervous system.
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Abstract
An 8-yr-old French Bulldog was presented with a non-ambulatory tetraparesis. Magnetic resonance showed an intradurally located mass at the level of the right second cervical nerve root. The mass was surgically removed and the dog was ambulatory within 4 d. A 10-mo post-surgical imaging follow-up revealed a recurrence of the primary mass and another intradural/intramedullary mass at the level of the first thoracic vertebral body. Overall histological features were suggestive of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) for both masses. Immunohistochemistry was found weak but diffusely positive for S-100 and neurono-specific enolase for both masses. A diagnosis of primary MPNST for the cervical mass and of metastasis for the thoracic mass was made, possibly disseminated via the subarachnoidal space. To our knowledge, the central nervous system metastasis of MPNSTs has not previously been reported in dogs. The clinician should be aware that these tumors, albeit rarely, can metastasize to the central nervous system.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31086766/