Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Four cases of cell cannibalism in highly malignant feline and canine tumors.
- Journal:
- Diagnostic pathology
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Ferreira, Fernando Costa et al.
- Affiliation:
- CIISA
Plain-English summary
This study looked at four cases of aggressive tumors in pets: one cat with breast cancer, one cat with skin cancer, one dog with lung cancer, and one dog with a type of cancer affecting the lining of the chest. In two of these cases, researchers noticed that cancer cells were being taken in by other cancer cells, which was seen through special tests. This behavior is linked to very aggressive tumors and suggests that these cancers are particularly dangerous. Overall, the findings highlight a unique characteristic of highly malignant tumors in both cats and dogs.
Abstract
Four cases of tumors in which cell internalization was frequently visualized are reported: one feline mammary carcinoma, one feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, one canine pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma and one canine pleural mesothelioma. Cell internalization was observed by cytology in two of these cases (the feline mammary tumour and the pleural effusion in the canine mesothelioma) and by histopathology in all but the canine mesothelioma. Immunohistochemical staining for pancytokeratin was positive for both internalized and host cells, while E-cadherin expression was frequently absent, although internalized cells occasionally stained positive. This cell-to-cell interaction seems to be associated with tumors displaying a strong epithelial-mesenchymal transitional phenotype, in which cancer cells become engulfed by other cancer cells. Such event could be regarded as an important hallmark of very high malignancy.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26525147/