Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Clinicopathologic and electron microscopic study of cutaneous neuroendocrine (Merkel cell) carcinoma in a cat with comparisons to human and canine tumors.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 2001
- Authors:
- Patnaik, A K et al.
- Affiliation:
- The Bobst Hospital of the Animal Medical Center · United States
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
An 18-year-old spayed female Maine Coon cat was diagnosed with a type of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma, which is a malignant tumor. This diagnosis was confirmed through detailed examination and special imaging techniques. Unfortunately, the cat was euthanized 321 days after the tumor was surgically removed, indicating that the cancer was aggressive and did not respond well to treatment. Unlike similar tumors in dogs, which are usually not cancerous, this cat's tumor behaved more like those seen in humans, which can also be malignant.
Abstract
Malignant neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin (Merkel cell tumor) was diagnosed in an 18-year-old spayed female Maine Coon Cat. The diagnosis was made on the basis of morphologic and electron microscopic findings. The cat was euthanatized 321 days after surgical excision of the tumor. The tumor's malignancy contrasted with the benign nature of Merkel cell tumors reported in dogs and was consistent with the malignancy of Merkel cell tumors reported in humans.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11572564/