Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using 5-ALA fluorescence to diagnose malignant mesothelioma in a cat
By T. Osaki et al.·Published in Australian Veterinary Journal·2022·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Utility of 5-aminolaevulinic acid fluorescence-guided endoscopic biopsy for malignant mesothelioma in a cat and dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old cat and a 9-year-old dog were diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting the lining of organs. The cat had been struggling with breathing problems for a month, while the dog had mild abdominal swelling for three months. Both pets underwent an endoscopic biopsy using a special dye called 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) to help identify the cancerous tissue. They were treated with a chemotherapy drug called carboplatin, but unfortunately, the cat passed away due to respiratory failure, and the dog later died from heart-related issues despite initially improving.
People also search for: cat breathing problems · dog abdominal swelling · malignant mesothelioma treatment in pets · chemotherapy for dog cancer · 5-ALA for pet diagnosis
Abstract
Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is uncommon in cats and dogs and can be challenging to diagnose. Adequate tissue sampling is required for superior diagnostic accuracy. Protoporphyrin IX, a metabolite of 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA), is a photosensitiser for photodynamic diagnosis (PDD). To the best of our knowledge, no study has reported the use of 5-ALA-PDD to detect MM in veterinary medicine. The present study describes the use of 5-ALA-PDD for MM diagnosis in a cat and dog, as well as the effectiveness of intracavitary chemotherapy. We evaluated the use of PDD with 5-ALA hydrochloride (5-ALA-PDD) in two cases of MM. A 12-year-old cat presented with a 1-month history of respiratory distress, and a 9-year-old dog presented with a 3-month history of mild abdominal distention. We endoscopically biopsied lesions in both the cases using 5-ALA-PDD. Histopathological examination revealed mesothelioma, and immunohistochemical staining was positive for calretinin. Both patients were treated with carboplatin. The cat died of respiratory failure. Although, the dog's condition improved 21 days after the first chemotherapeutic drug administration, the dog died on day 684 owing to cardiac-related issues. 5-ALA-PDD is thus, safe and feasible for the diagnosis of MM in veterinary medicine.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/36482150