Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with malignant tail base tumor called cauda equina paraganglioma
By Davis, W P et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·1997·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Malignant cauda equina paraganglioma in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A spayed 11-year-old female domestic long-haired cat was brought in for surgery to remove a large mass located near the base of her tail. The mass was found to be a malignant tumor called a paraganglioma, which is a type of neuroendocrine cancer. Unfortunately, despite the surgery, the cat was later found to have spread of the cancer to her lungs and other areas. Sadly, the prognosis was poor due to the aggressive nature of the tumor and its metastasis.
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Abstract
An 11-year-old spayed female domestic long-haired cat presented for surgical removal of a slowly growing and deeply invasive 2.5 x 3.5-cm mass cranial to the base of the tail. Light microscopic examination of surgical biopsy specimens revealed an encapsulated mass composed of packets of polygonal cells of various sizes separated by a delicate fibrovascular stroma. Gömöri's reticulum stain revealed a characteristic endocrine or "Zellballen" pattern. Tumor cells contained diffuse positive reactivity to synaptophysin and neuron-specific enolase, reactions consistent with a neuroendocrine neoplasm. S-100 protein-positive cells reminiscent of sustentacular (support) cells occurred singly or in small clusters within tumor packets. At postmortem examination 3 months later, a 9- x 5- x 4-cm multinodular raised tan mass involving the caudal pelvis, sacrum, and tail-head regions was found. The base of this neoplastic mass originated within the cauda equina region and involved approximately five caudal nerve roots. Numerous 1-3-mm metastatic nodules were identified disseminated throughout the pulmonary parenchyma. The tumor was diagnosed as a malignant paraganglioma of the cauda equina region with pulmonary metastasis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9163884/