Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with a malignant tongue tumor diagnosis
By Chapman, Seth et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2008·Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: What is your diagnosis? Lingual mass in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3.5-year-old female spayed Rat Terrier was brought to the vet because of a growth on her tongue. Tests showed that the mass was cancerous, specifically a type of tumor called rhabdomyosarcoma, which is rare in dogs. The vet performed a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and found that the tumor was made up of abnormal muscle cells. Unfortunately, rhabdomyosarcoma can be aggressive, and treatment options may vary depending on the individual case. It's important for pet owners to discuss treatment plans with their veterinarian to determine the best approach for their dog.
People also search for: dog tongue tumor treatment · Rat Terrier cancer symptoms · rhabdomyosarcoma in dogs
Abstract
A 3.5-year-old female spayed Rat Terrier was presented for evaluation of a submucosal lingual mass. Fine-needle aspiration of the mass revealed a population of neoplastic cells composed predominantly of small, round cells and large, round to spindle-shaped cells, which occasionally had blunt cytoplasmic borders and multiple nuclei. The neoplastic cells had moderate to marked anisocytosis and anisokaryosis. The cytologic interpretation was malignant neoplasia, most likely sarcoma. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen revealed an unencapsulated, poorly demarcated, moderately cellular neoplasm composed of individualized, infiltrative spindle cells. Elongate skeletal muscle cells with prominent, rectangular borders (strap cells) were observed. A morphologic diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma was made. Staining with phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin revealed haphazardly arranged skeletal muscle cross-striations. Immunohistochemical staining results for vimentin, Myo D1, desmin, and myoglobin were positive, though staining intensity of tumor cells varied with the degree of differentiation. Using transmission electron microscopy, irregular, disorganized Z-bands were identified. Rhabdomyosarcomas are uncommon tumors in the dog, and rarely may involve the tongue or oral cavity. Cytologic evaluation of a rhabdomyosarcoma may reveal a pleomorphic population of cells and definitive diagnosis may require histologic examination, immunohistochemical staining, and electron microscopy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18366557/