Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with firm rib mass diagnosed as metastatic prostate cancer
By LeBlanc, Casey J et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2004·Department of Pathobiological Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Firm rib mass aspirate from a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old Miniature Schnauzer was brought in showing signs of severe weight loss, dehydration, and multiple hard masses on his ribs. After examining a rib mass with a fine needle, the vet found cancerous cells, indicating that the dog had metastatic adenocarcinoma, likely originating from the prostate. Unfortunately, the diagnosis confirmed widespread cancer that had spread from the prostate to other areas. The findings helped the vet understand the type of cancer and guide further testing, but the prognosis for recovery was poor due to the advanced stage of the disease.
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Abstract
A 9-year-old intact male Miniature Schnauzer presented laterally recumbent, cachexic, and dehydrated with multiple firm bone masses and a bilaterally enlarged prostate. Fine-needle aspiration of a rib mass revealed numerous basophilic polygonal to fusiform cells predominantly found in small to large clusters. The cells exhibited cytologic criteria of malignancy and infrequently displayed large cytoplasmic vacuoles containing finely- to coarsely-stippled azurophilic material. The cytologic diagnosis was metastatic adenocarcinoma and was suspected to be prostatic or transitional cell in origin because of the azurophilic vacuoles within malignant cells. Gross and histologic findings confirmed the clinical and cytologic diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma with widespread metastasis. Cytochemical and immunohistochemical investigation confirmed glycogen was a component of the vacuolar material. The vacuoles observed in the tumor in this case are not a consistent finding in tumors of the prostate or urinary bladder; however, when associated with an epithelial tumor, they may aid in limiting the differentials of the primary tumor and in the selection of further diagnostics.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15570565/