Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with multiple mouth cancers linked to new papillomavirus
By Munday, John S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2015·Institute of Veterinary, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Multiple oral carcinomas associated with a novel papillomavirus in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old male mixed-breed dog was diagnosed with multiple oral tumors, including an invasive squamous cell carcinoma (a type of cancer) in his mouth. Tests showed signs of a papillomavirus infection, which is known to cause similar cancers in humans. The presence of specific proteins and viral DNA suggested that this novel virus might have contributed to the development of the tumors. While it's not certain if the virus directly caused the cancer, the findings indicate a possible link. Treatment options for oral tumors in dogs often include surgery, and early intervention can improve outcomes.
People also search for: dog oral cancer symptoms · papillomavirus in dogs · treatment for dog mouth tumors
Abstract
Papillomaviruses (PVs) are well recognized to cause human oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). However, there is currently little evidence that PVs similarly cause oral cancer in dogs. In the present case, a dog developed an invasive SCC and multiple in situ carcinomas within the mouth. Cell changes consistent with PV infection were prominent within the neoplasms and the surrounding gingiva. Immunohistochemical staining revealed PV antigens and intense p16(CDKN2A) protein (p16) immunostaining within the invasive SCC. Papillomaviral DNA sequences were amplified from the invasive and in situ carcinomas. Sequencing revealed that the DNA was from a novel PV that appears most closely related to canine PV-2 and -7. To the authors' knowledge, multiple carcinomas have not been previously reported in the mouth of a dog. Additionally, the current study describes PV cytopathology in a canine oral SCC. Whether the PV infection influenced neoplasm development cannot be definitively determined in this case. However, the presence of p16 immunostaining and the development of multiple oral carcinomas support a role of the PV in tumorigenesis in this dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25613043/