Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse diagnosed with splenic lymphoma - what to know
By Tanimoto, T et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·1994·Chuo Meat Inspection Laboratory, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Primary splenic lymphoma in a horse.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old Thoroughbred stallion was found to have a large mass in his spleen, measuring about 20 centimeters in each direction, which had areas of bleeding and dead tissue. Tests showed that the mass was made up of lymphoma cells, a type of cancer, specifically of the diffuse large non-cleaved type, which are known for their rapid growth. Interestingly, even though these cancer cells were very active, they did not invade surrounding tissues or spread to other parts of the body, and the reason for this is not well understood. The diagnosis confirmed that the horse had a primary splenic lymphoma, which is a cancer originating in the spleen. The outcome of the treatment for this condition is not mentioned in the abstract.
Abstract
A well-demarcated solitary splenic mass (20 x 20 x 15 cm in size) containing hemorrhagic and necrotic foci was observed in a 4-year-old Thoroughbred stallion. Histologically, the mass consisted of lymphoma cells of the diffuse large non-cleaved type, with a high mitotic index and scattered macrophages that formed a starry sky pattern. The lymphoma cells revealed diffuse positivity for acid phosphatase and alpha naphthyl butyrate esterase, and were also positive for intracytoplasmic IgM on occasion, and mostly for proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Ultrastructural examination revealed moderately-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum sometimes with dilated cisternae. Thus, the diagnosis was a primary splenic lymphoma of B cell origin, but the exact reason for the absence of invasive growth or metastasis despite the high proliferative activity of this neoplasm was unclear.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7999906/