Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with eye melanoma later developed painful swollen leg bone
By Planellas, Marta et al.·Published in Veterinary ophthalmology·2010·Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Unusual presentation of a metastatic uveal melanoma in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old spayed female Domestic Short-Haired cat was diagnosed with a large eye tumor called uveal melanoma, and surgery was recommended. After surgery, she seemed fine until five months later when she started limping on her right front leg, and her elbow was swollen and painful. X-rays revealed severe bone damage, and tests showed that the cancer had spread to her bones. Unfortunately, the owners chose not to pursue chemotherapy, and the cat passed away two months later. A necropsy confirmed that the cancer had spread from her eye to her bones.
People also search for: cat limping front leg · cat eye tumor treatment · cat bone cancer symptoms
Abstract
A 10 year-old, spayed female Domestic Short-Haired (DSH) cat was diagnosed with a large primary uveal melanoma and exenteration was recommended. Thoracic radiographs, abdominal ultrasonography, and complete blood count and serum biochemistry panel did not reveal any abnormality compatible with metastatic disease and surgery was performed. Histopathologic study of the eye confirmed a diffuse iris melanoma. Five months later, the cat presented with a lameness of the right anterior extremity. On physical exam the right elbow was swollen and painful. Radiographs showed a severe osteolysis of the radial head and proximal diaphysis. Fine needle aspiration of the radius head identified a round cell neoplasm with scattered cells containing intracytoplasmatic pigmented granules, compatible with metastatic melanoma. The owners decided not to treat the patient with chemotherapy and declined a biopsy. Two months later, the cat died and necropsy was performed confirming bone metastasis of the uveal melanoma. A diagnosis of generalized metastasis from primary diffuse iris melanoma was made. This report describes, for the first time, long bone metastasis from an uveal melanoma in a cat.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21182725/