Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
On the natural history and comparative pathology of the blue naevus.
- Journal:
- Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
- Year:
- 1980
- Authors:
- Levene, A
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looks at a type of skin growth called a blue nevus, which is common in humans and similar to a type of skin tumor found in dogs and hamsters. In people, these growths are usually found in the outer layer of the skin, while in some animals, they can be more widespread. The research also mentions a rare case where a dog developed a serious skin cancer called melanoma, which is somewhat similar to a condition seen in older, gray horses. The authors suggest that both conditions may be related to issues with certain skin cells that come from the nervous system. Overall, the findings help us understand how these skin conditions can be connected across different species.
Abstract
In man the epidermis is the final destination for most of the melanocytes which are of neural crest origin, and they migrate to a variety of sites. Dermal melanocytic distribution, conspicuous in some lower animals, has a very restricted normal distribution in man, and of the variety of anomalies which exist the blue naevus is the most frequently encountered. It is comparable to the common melanocytoma of dog and hamster. More widespread dermal melanocytoses are rare, and a unique case in which death from melanoma supervened, recently recorded by the author, is an example of a syndrome the only parallel to which appears to be equine melanotic disease, a disorder of aging, greying horses. It is argued on comparative grounds that the newly described syndrome and equine melanotic disease are examples of a neurochristic disorder involving the cephalad segments and dermal melanocytes.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7436289/