Bilateral Aural Adenocarcinoma in a Congo African Grey Parrot ( Psittacus erithacus erithacus).

A 28-year-old female Congo African grey parrot ( Psittacus erithacus erithacus) was evaluated because of a mass in the left external auditory meatus. Results of a computed tomography scan revealed an osteolytic left hemimandibular mass with irregular bone production and a soft tissue mass in the left external auditory meatus. Results of cytologic examination of fine needle aspirates of the hemimandible were interpreted as adenocarcinoma with reactive osteoblasts. The owner chose palliative treatment, and a debulking procedure was performed on the left external auditory meatus mass 52 days after initial presentation to control self-trauma. Euthanasia was elected 67 days after initial presentation because of poor prognosis associated with the development of bilateral masses of the external auditory meatus and lateral deviation of the mandible, findings that were confirmed by postmortem examination. Histopathologic results confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral aural adenocarcinoma with invasion of both temporal bones and hemimandibles.

Experimental transmission of enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma in sheep.

Enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma (ENA) is a contagious neoplasm of the secretory epithelial cells of the nasal mucosa of sheep and goats. It is associated with the betaretrovirus, enzootic nasal tumor virus (ENTV), but a causative relationship has yet to be demonstrated. In this study, 14-day-old lambs were experimentally infected via nebulization with cell-free tumor filtrates derived from naturally occurring cases of ENA. At 12 weeks post-infection (wpi), one of the five infected lambs developed clinical signs, including continuous nasal discharge and open mouth breathing, and was euthanized. Necropsy revealed the presence of a large bilateral tumor occupying the nasal cavity. At 45 wpi, when the study was terminated, none of the remaining infected sheep showed evidence of tumors either by computed tomography or post-mortem examination. ENTV-1 proviral DNA was detected in the nose, lung, spleen, liver and kidney of the animal with experimentally induced ENA, however there was no evidence of viral protein expression in tissues other than the nose. Density gradient analysis of virus particles purified from the experimentally induced nasal tumor revealed a peak reverse transcriptase (RT) activity at a buoyant density of 1.22 g/mL which was higher than the 1.18 g/mL density of peak RT activity of virus purified from naturally induced ENA. While the 1.22 g/mL fraction contained primarily immature unprocessed virus particles, mature virus particles with a similar morphology to naturally occurring ENA could be identified by electron microscopy. Full-length sequence analysis of the ENTV-1 genome from the experimentally induced tumor revealed very few nucleotide changes relative to the original inoculum with only one conservative amino acid change. Taken together, these results demonstrate that ENTV-1 is associated with transmissible ENA in sheep and that under experimental conditions, lethal tumors are capable of developing in as little as 12 wpi demonstrating the acutely oncogenic nature of this ovine betaretrovirus.

Ocular manifestations of a metastatic adenocarcinoma in a horse.

A 10-year-old German Warmblood gelding was referred to the Equine Department of the Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland, for an iris mass OD, lethargy, intermittent fever, and coughing. Ophthalmic examination revealed a 7 × 9 mm raised, fleshy, whitish to pinkish, vascularized iris mass at the 2 o`clock position OD. Fundic examination showed multifocal round, brown to black, slightly raised lesions with indistinct margins and a surrounding hyperreflective zone OU. Physical examination revealed a temperature of 39.2 °C, sinus tachycardia, preputial and ventral edema, and an enlarged right mandibular lymph node. Results of a complete blood count and plasma biochemical profile showed mild anemia, leukocytosis, and thrombocytopenia. Severe splenopathy, moderate splenomegaly, and severe pulmonary pathology with nodules and large areas of consolidated lung parenchyma were observed on abdominal ultrasound and thoracic radiographs, respectively. Fine needle aspirates of the enlarged mandibular lymph node showed malignant epithelial neoplastic cells. The horse was euthanized because of the poor prognosis and subsequently underwent postmortem examination. Macroscopic necropsy and histopathology revealed an adenocarcinoma of suspected pulmonary origin with involvement of eyes, heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, diaphragm, skeletal muscles, mandibular, pulmonary, and internal iliac lymph nodes. Metastatic adenocarcinoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis in horses with iris masses, multifocal chorioretinal infiltrates, and clinical signs that conform to a paraneoplastic syndrome.

Feline minor salivary gland adenocarcinoma: retrospective case series and literature review.

CASE SERIES SUMMARY: Salivary gland adenocarcinoma, of major or minor salivary gland origin, is an uncommon tumor in cats. This article describes the clinical features, morbidity and survival rates of four cats with salivary gland adenocarcinoma arising from minor salivary gland tissue. Medical records from a private multicenter dentistry and oral surgery practice were reviewed for the period between 2007 and 2021. Four cats were included in this retrospective case series study, with oral masses on either the right or left caudal mandibular labial buccal mucosa. The inclusion criteria included a diagnosis of salivary gland adenocarcinoma in an anatomical location with lack of involvement of a major salivary gland, complete medical history and a follow-up of at least 6 months. The age range of the cats was 9-15 years; three of the cats were castrated males and one was a spayed female. Curative intent surgery was performed in three cats, whereas palliative surgery (debulking) owing to extensive soft tissue invasion was performed in one cat. Survival times were in the range of 210-1730 (mean 787) days. All four cats were euthanized owing to local recurrence and decreased quality of life, regardless of treatment modality. RELEVANCE AND NOVEL INFORMATION: There are limited documented studies reporting the prevalence of salivary gland neoplasia affecting minor disseminated glands in the oral cavity of feline patients. Salivary gland adenocarcinoma should be a differential in cats presenting with caudal labial masses. Surgical resection has been the recommended treatment for salivary gland neoplasia of major salivary gland origin. According to this current case series, we propose that early aggressive surgical treatment with wide surgical margins should be performed for cats with salivary gland adenocarcinoma of minor salivary gland origin. Surgery increased the quality and duration of life; however, each patient was euthanized owing to local recurrence and morbidity.

High-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary gland in a bull.

Salivary gland neoplasia is uncommon in veterinary species and has rarely been reported in cattle. Adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and pleomorphic carcinoma have been described in the parotid gland of dairy cows. Here we describe a case of high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma in a bull. The bull had a chronic history of caudal mandibular soft tissue swelling. Postmortem examination revealed a 30 × 30-cm mass with a caseonecrotic center, hemorrhage and necrosis of the ipsilateral cervical musculature, osteolysis of the right paracondylar process of the skull and right horn base, pulmonary nodules, and enlarged tracheobronchial lymph nodes. Histology of the mass, lungs, and lymph nodes revealed an invasive neoplasm composed of epithelial cells arranged in nests and ductular structures supported by a spindle cell stroma, with frequent central necrosis. Immunohistochemistry revealed that epithelial cells were diffusely positive for pancytokeratin and p63 with multifocal vimentin positivity; stromal cells were diffusely positive for vimentin and α-SMA. A salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma was diagnosed based on these findings. Although rare, salivary gland neoplasia should be considered a differential diagnosis for mandibular masses in cattle.

Use of the angularis oris cutaneous flap for repair of a rostral mandibular skin defect in a cat.

The angularis oris axial pattern flap is based on the blood supply of the angularis oris artery and vein. While the use of this flap for repair of canine facial wounds is well documented, this technique has not been reported in the cat. This case report presents the reconstruction of a large ventral chin and rostral lip wound with the use of this flap. Complete survival of this flap was observed in this patient.

Fibrous Osteodystrophy, Chronic Renal Disease, and Uterine Adenocarcinoma in Aged Gray Mouse Lemurs (Microcebus murinus).

The gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus, GML) is a nocturnal, arboreal, prosimian primate that is native to Madagascar. Captive breeding colonies of GMLs have been established primarily for noninvasive studies on questions related to circadian rhythms and metabolism. GMLs are increasingly considered to be a strong translational model for neurocognitive aging due to overlapping histopathologic features shared with aged humans. However, little information is available describing the clinical presentations, naturally occurring diseases, and histopathology of aged GMLs. In our colony, a 9 y-old, male, GML was euthanized after sudden onset of weakness, lethargy, and tibial fracture. Evaluation of this animal revealed widespread fibrous osteodystrophy (FOD) of the mandible, maxilla, cranium, appendicular, and vertebral bones. FOD and systemic metastatic mineralization were attributed to underlying chronic renal disease. Findings in this GML prompted periodic colony-wide serum biochemical screenings for azotemia and electrolyte abnormalities. Subsequently, 3 additional GMLs (2 females and 1 male) were euthanized due to varying clinical and serum biochemical presentations. Common to all 4 animals were FOD, chronic renal disease, uterine adenocarcinoma (females only), cataracts, and osteoarthritis. This case study highlights the concurrent clinical and histopathologic abnormalities that are relevant to use of GMLs in the expanding field of aging research.

Development of a SYBR Green-based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay to detect enzootic nasal tumor virus in goats.

Enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma is a contagious respiratory disease in goats that is caused by the enzootic nasal tumor virus 2 (ENTV-2). In order to increase the number of available detection methods for ENTV-2, we developed a SYBR Green real-time polymerase chain reaction (SGrPCR) assay that targets the gag gene of ENTV-2. The low limit of detection of the assay was 3.68 × 101 copies/µL, a hundredfold more sensitive than conventional PCR. The melt curve showed a single sharp melt peak at 83°C, which indicated that there was no non-specific amplification or primer dimer formation. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 1.58% and 1.82%, respectively. There was no cross-reactivity with closely related goat viruses (i.e., orf virus, peste des petits ruminants virus, goatpox virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus) and endogenous retroviruses. In conclusion, the SGrPCR assay is specific for the gag gene of ENTV-2 and provides a rapid and sensitive approach for detecting ENTV-2 in clinical samples.

L'adénocarcinome nasal enzootique est une maladie respiratoire contagieuse chez les chèvres qui est causé par le virus de la tumeur nasale enzootique 2 (ENTV-2). Afin d'augmenter le nombre de méthodes de détection disponibles pour ENTV-2, nous avons développé un test de réaction en chaîne par polymérase en temps réel SYBR Green (SGrPCR) qui cible le gène gag de ENTV-2. La limite basse de détection du test était de 3,68 × 101 copies/µL, cent fois plus sensible que la PCR conventionnelle. La courbe de fusion montrait un seul pic de fusion net à 83 °C, ce qui indiquait qu'il n'y avait pas d'amplification non spécifique ou de formation de dimère d'amorce. Les coefficients de variation intra-essai et inter-essai étaient respectivement de 1,58 % et 1,82 %. Il n'y avait pas de réactivité croisée avec les virus caprins étroitement apparentés (c'est-à-dire le virus orf, le virus de la peste des petits ruminants, le virus de la variole caprine, le virus de la fièvre aphteuse) et les rétrovirus endogènes. En conclusion, le test SGrPCR est spécifique du gène gag de l'ENTV-2 et fournit une approche rapide et sensible pour la détection d'ENTV-2 dans des échantillons cliniques.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Malignant mixed tumor in the salivary gland of a cat.

The presence of a malignant mixed tumor, also known as a carcinosarcoma, in the salivary gland is very rare. Such tumors, which are typically aggressive, are characterized by the presence of carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. A 9-year-old neutered female domestic short-haired cat presented with swelling in the right mandibular lesion that had rapidly enlarged over the previous 3 weeks. Physical examination revealed a large, fluctuated and painless subcutaneous swelling that was associated with a firm mass. Radiographs of the head revealed a soft-tissue density that involved faint circular calcific opacity. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed that the peripheral capsulated cystic area had a contrast enhanced region without bone lysis. The cat received a total excision of the mass and postoperative radiotherapy. Histopathological analysis of the mass revealed that it was a malignant mixed tumor. Metastasis to the lung was discovered 7 weeks later, at which time treatment was stopped.

Survey of neoplasia in red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), 1992-2002, in a zoological collection.

An increase in the proportion of cases with neoplasia observed in a collection of captive red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) when compared with historical records and the paucity of reported neoplasms in kangaroos in the literature prompted a 10-yr review of all red kangaroo necropsies. Individual necropsy, medical, and inventory records for all kangaroos at the Kansas City Zoo were reviewed for the period 1 January 1992 to 31 December 2002. Two squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, two mammary gland adenocarcinomas, a multicentric T-cell lymphosarcoma, and one submucosal pyloric lipoma were diagnosed in six of 28 kangaroo deaths. Three neoplasms were diagnosed antemortem. Four of the six neoplasms were considered malignant, and all four had metastasized. The mean age at death was 11 yr. All six animals with neoplasms were female; however, the exhibit population was composed solely of females. Only 11 cases of neoplasia in red kangaroos have been reported in the literature. On the basis of these cases and a review of the literature, the most commonly observed neoplasms in red kangaroos are mammary gland adenocarcinomas and oral squamous cell carcinomas. Common denominators were not identified in these cases, although chronic gingivitis could have been a contributing factor in the development of the oral squamous cell carcinomas.

Equine nasal and paranasal sinus tumours. Part 1: review of the literature and tumour classification.

The normal gross and histological anatomy of the equine nasal and paranasal sinuses are reviewed and the relationships between the local anatomy, the occurrence of different tumour types, and of tumour spread are examined. The histological classification of the more common equine sinonasal tumours and tumour-like lesions are discussed. Clinical and pathological descriptions of 50 more recently recorded such tumours are separately tabulated. The literature shows that equine sinonasal tumours, both endemic and sporadic, are relatively uncommon in horses, with non-neoplastic growths such as maxillary (sinus) cysts, progressive ethmoid haematoma and inflammatory nasal polyps more commonly recorded. The equine paranasal sinuses, especially the caudal maxillary sinus, are the most common sites for sinonasal tumours and, in contrast to other species, primary nasal tumours are uncommon. The more common tumour types include squamous cell carcinoma that, in some cases, arise in the oral cavity and spread to the maxillary sinuses; adenocarcinomas; bone and dental tumours; fibrosarcomas and haemangiosarcomas. Except for some benign bone tumours, there are few records of successful treatment of equine sinonasal tumours.

Radiographic findings in cats with intranasal neoplasia or chronic rhinitis: 29 cases (1982-1988).

OBJECTIVE: To compare radiographic findings and determine useful criteria to differentiate between intranasal neoplasia and chronic rhinitis in cats. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Cats with chronic nasal disease caused by neoplasia (n = 18) or by chronic rhinitis (n = 11). PROCEDURE: Radiographs were reviewed by 3 radiologists, followed by group review. Diagnosis was determined by intranasal biopsy or necropsy, and specimens were reviewed by a pathologist to confirm cause and histologic diagnosis. RESULTS: Lymphosarcoma was the most common (n = 5) of the 6 histopathologic types in the neoplasia group. Cats in the neoplasia and chronic rhinitis groups had a high prevalence of aggressive radiographic lesions. Prevalence of a facial mass in cats with neoplasia (8/18) versus in those with chronic rhinitis (4/11) and of deviation (9/18 vs 6/11, respectively) or lysis (12/18 vs 7/11) of the nasal septum was similar. However, significantly (P = 0.02) more cats with neoplasia than with chronic rhinitis (13/16 vs 3/7, respectively) had unilateral turbinate destruction/lysis. Additionally, unilateral lateral bone erosion and loss of teeth associated with adjacent intranasal disease were more prevalent in cats with neoplasia (7/8 and 5/18, respectively) than in cats with chronic rhinitis (1/3 and 0/11, respectively). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Features that may assist in radiographic diagnosis of neoplasia include the appearance of unilateral aggressive lesions, such as lysis of lateral bones, nasal turbinate destruction, and loss of teeth. Bilaterally symmetric lesions are more suggestive of chronic rhinitis than of neoplasia.

Aetiology and diagnosis of persistent nasal disease in the dog: a retrospective study of 42 cases.

Forty-two dogs with a history of persistent nasal disease were evaluated by a combination of clinical examination, thoracic and nasal radiography, retroflexed endoscopy and biopsy, and anterograde rhinoscopy and blind nasal biopsy. A definitive diagnosis was made in 91 per cent of cases. Neoplasia was the most common diagnosis (33 per cent of cases), followed by inflammatory rhinitis (24 per cent). Other diagnoses included periodontal disease (10 per cent), aspergillosis (7 per cent) and foreign bodies (7 per cent). Adenocarcinoma was the most common tumour diagnosed. The clinical findings were found to be too variable to be used as specific diagnostic criteria. Anterograde rhinoscopy and retroflexed endoscopy had higher specificity and sensitivity than radiology for the diagnosis of neoplasia, inflammatory rhinitis, aspergillosis and foreign bodies. With a systematic approach to the investigation of persistent nasal disease, a definitive diagnosis can be successfully obtained in the vast majority of cases.

Cytological diagnosis of mandibular salivary gland adenocarcinoma in a dog.

A case of mandibular salivary gland adenocarcinoma in a 9-year-old female dog is described. Material collected by fine needle aspiration underwent cytological examination and after the diagnosis of salivary carcinoma the mass was surgically excised and then was processed for histological examination. The aim of this work is to describe the cytopathological features of this carcinoma and to emphasize the usefulness of fine needle aspiration technique, which is an effective, inexpensive and minimally invasive method of diagnosis that can be performed before incisional biopsy or even before surgical excision.

Steric stabilization of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-based polyplexes mediates prolonged circulation and tumor targeting in mice.

BACKGROUND: Efficient tumor targeting of polymeric gene transfer systems (polyplexes) represents a major challenge. To establish tumor targeting after intravenous (IV) administration, the circulation lifetime of these systems should be sufficiently long. Since naked polyplexes are rapidly eliminated from the circulation after IV adminstration, strategies have to be developed to improve their pharmacokinetics. METHODS: Complexes of plasmid DNA and poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (pDMAEMA)-graft-PEG or AB di-block copolymers of pDMAEMA and PEG, as well as PEGylated complexes prepared via PEGylation of preformed complexes (postPEGylation), were evaluated for their physicochemical properties (size and charge) their interactions with blood constituents and transfection activity in vitro. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of PEG-polyplexes were studied in mice after IV administration. The degree of accumulation in two subcutaneous (SC) mouse tumors after IV administration was evaluated for the system with the longest circulation time. RESULTS: It is shown that the surface charge of the pDMAEMA-polyplexes was effectively shielded by two PEGylation methods (i.e. the use of pDMAEMA-graft-PEG polymers and postPEGylation). The shielding effect was the highest for the postPEGylation method with PEG(20000), yielding polyplexes that hardly show interactions with blood components (i.e. albumin and erythrocytes) and show substantially prolonged circulation time in mice after IV administration. The superior colloidal stability and circulation kinetics of the postPEGylated polyplexes translated into tumor accumulation which amounted to about 3.5% of the injected dose per gram tumor tissue in a SC Neuro2A tumor model and to about 4.2% of the injected dose per gram tumor tissue in a SC C26 tumor model. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that postPEGylation of pDMAEMA-based polyplexes is the most attractive method to prepare polyplexes with long circulating properties. Tumor targeting capacity after intravenous administration was demonstrated in two subcutaneous tumor models.

Liposome-encapsulated muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine for the treatment of feline mammary adenocarcinoma--a multicenter randomized double-blind study.

Forty cats with previously untreated, histologically confirmed mammary gland adenocarcinoma received a radical mastectomy of the affected mammary chain(s). All cats were stratified according to clinical stage and randomized to receive either weekly intravenous liposome-encapsulated muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine or placebo (lipid-equivalent) for eight consecutive weeks in this double-blind study. Thirty-six of the 40 cats were available for follow-up. No significant differences in either disease-free interval or survival were found as a result of treatment. Cats with clinical stage II disease had a statistically significantly longer disease-free interval (p < 0.02), and overall survival (p < 0.005) when compared with clinical stage III cats.