Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How vets tell malignant adrenal tumors in dogs by tissue signs
By Labelle, P et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2004·Department of Pathology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Indicators of malignancy of canine adrenocortical tumors: histopathology and proliferation index.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with Cushing's syndrome, which can cause symptoms like increased thirst and urination, was found to have an adrenal tumor. Researchers studied different types of adrenal tumors to see how to tell if they are benign (adenomas) or malignant (carcinomas). They discovered that larger tumors and certain growth patterns were linked to malignancy, and a specific test (the Ki-67 proliferation index) helped differentiate between the two types. This information can help veterinarians make better decisions about treatment options for dogs with adrenal tumors.
People also search for: dog adrenal tumor symptoms · Cushing's syndrome treatment in dogs · how to tell if a dog tumor is cancerous
Abstract
Tumors of the adrenal cortex account for 10-20% of the naturally occurring Cushing's syndrome diagnosed in dogs. Differentiating between adrenocortical adenoma and carcinomas is often difficult. The purposes of this study were to determine which histopathologic criteria can be used as markers for malignancy in canine adrenocortical tumors and the relevance of the proliferation marker, Ki-67, for differentiation between cortical adenomas and carcinomas. Twenty-six adrenocortical carcinomas, 23 adenomas, and 11 normal adrenal glands were examined. Morphologic criteria significantly associated with adrenocortical carcinomas included a size larger than 2 cm in diameter, peripheral fibrosis, capsular invasion, trabecular growth pattern, hemorrhage, necrosis, and single-cell necrosis, whereas hematopoiesis, fibrin thombi, and cytoplasmic vacuolation were significantly associated with adrenocortical adenomas. The mean (+/- SD) proliferation index, measured by immunohistochemistry for the Ki-67 antigen, was 9.3 +/- 6.3% in carcinomas, 0.76 +/- 0.83% in adenomas, and 0.58 +/- 0.57% in normal adrenal glands. The Ki-67 proliferation index was significantly higher in carcinomas compared with adenomas and normal adrenal glands. A threshold value of the proliferation index of 2.4% reliably separated carcinomas from adenomas. Based on these results, it appears that thorough evaluation of morphologic features combined with immunohistochemical assessment of the proliferation index is extremely useful for differentiating between adrenocortical adenomas and carcinomas in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15347821/