Dog with seizures diagnosed with cerebellar cancer spread

Abstract

Diffuse cerebellar meningeal carcinomatosis secondary to haematogenous dissemination from an anaplastic solid mammary carcinoma was diagnosed in an old German shepherd dog suffering from seizures and rapidly progressing to stupor. A single computed tomography cerebellar scan identified an unusual homogeneous density area that was considered to be associated with a vascular disorder, in the absence of space-occupying lesions. At necropsy, nodular masses were observed in the mammary gland, lungs, tracheobronchial lymph nodes and adrenals. Cerebellar leptomeninges were affected by diffuse blood effusion. Histology showed a solid mammary tumour, characterised by anaplastic cells with a cytoplasmic keratin-positive and vimentin-negative immunoreaction. The tumour had spread to the lungs, tracheobronchial lymph nodes and adrenals. Cerebellar leptomeninges were diffusely infiltrated by the cytokeratin-positive neoplastic cells. Even though computed tomography scan gave no evidence of meningeal carcinomatosis, it was considered that a cerebellar vascular disorder might be present. This was subsequently confirmed by neuropathological investigation and seen to be associated with a cerebellar leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.