Bilateral testicular myxosarcoma in a cryptorchid dog.

Myxosarcoma is a rare malignant mesenchymal neoplasm of soft tissues originating from fibroblasts. This report describes a case of bilateral myxosarcoma in a three-year-old cryptorchid dog. The animal was referred to the veterinary clinic because of the absence of testicles in the scrotum. Ultrasonography revealed two masses in the abdominal cavity with testicular echotexture. Exploratory laparotomy revealed the presence of cryptorchid testicles, and orchiectomy was recommended to treat the animal. Testicles were gray and reddish in color and enlarged with firm consistency. For histopathological analysis, testis fragments were fixed in 10% formalin and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Alcian blue. Immunohistochemistry was performed using the following primary antibodies:1A4, HHF35, desmin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, CD31, S-100, vimentin, and Ki-67. Histopathological evaluation revealed the proliferation of fusiform and round cells associated with extensive areas of myxoid matrix. Neoplasms featured multinucleated giant cells, pleomorphism, karyomegaly, nuclear hyperchromasia, anisokaryosis, mitoses, and necrosis, with coarse chromatin and prominent nucleoli. Immunohistochemical analysis of vimentin- and the Alcian blue-positive cells confirmed the diagnosis of myxosarcoma. A high mitotic count and Ki-67 proliferative index suggests this myxosarcoma had a high degree of malignancy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of bilateral testicular myxosarcoma in a cryptorchid animal.

Obstructive cardiac myxosarcoma of the right ventricular outflow tract with pulmonary embolism and concurrent right atrial hemangiosarcoma in a dog.

A 13-year-old spayed female rottweiler crossbreed dog was presented with an 8-day history of abnormal gait and collapse associated with excitement or physical activity. A cardiac gallop was noticed on thoracic auscultation, and a 1st-degree atrioventricular block and sinus tachycardia were noted on an electrocardiogram. Echocardiography identified a hypoechoic, irregularly marginated luminal mass in the right ventricle at the level of the pulmonic valves. Postmortem gross examination confirmed the presence of a soft, polypoid, and botryoid mass (9 × 3 × 3 cm) with a smooth and glistening surface attached to the endocardium of the right ventricular outflow tract and extending to the pulmonary artery. The histological findings were consistent with the diagnosis of myxosarcoma with pulmonary embolism. In addition, the dog in this report had a right atrial hemangiosarcoma and a cutaneous hemangioma unrelated to her clinical findings. Key clinical message: Cardiac myxosarcomas are very rare neoplasms in dogs and concomitant primary heart tumors of different histogenesis are even rarer in dogs. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of coexistent myxosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma in the heart of a dog. Cardiac myxosarcomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracavitary heart masses associated with signs of cardiac obstruction and failure.

Myxosarcome cardiaque obstructif de la voie d'éjection du ventricule droit avec embolie pulmonaire et hémangiosarcome auriculaire droit concomitant chez un chien. Une chienne croisée rottweiler stérilisée âgée de 13 ans a été présentée avec une histoire de démarche anormale et d'effondrement associés à l'excitation ou à l'activité physique depuis 8 jours. Un galop cardiaque a été noté à l'auscultation thoracique, un bloc auriculo-ventriculaire du 1er degré et une tachycardie sinusale ont été notés à l'électrocardiogramme. L'échocardiographie a permis d'identifier une masse luminale hypoéchogène et irrégulièrement marginalisée dans le ventricule droit au niveau des valvules pulmonaires. L'examen macroscopique post-mortem a confirmé la présence d'une masse molle, polypoïde et botryoïde (9 × 3 × 3 cm) avec une surface lisse et brillante attachée à l'endocarde de la voie d'éjection du ventricule droit et s'étendant jusqu'à l'artère pulmonaire. Les résultats histologiques concordaient avec le diagnostic de myxosarcome avec embolie pulmonaire. De plus, la chienne dans ce rapport présentait un hémangiosarcome auriculaire droit et un hémangiome cutané sans rapport avec ses résultats cliniques.Message clinique clé :Les myxosarcomes cardiaques sont des néoplasmes très rares chez le chien et les tumeurs cardiaques primaires concomitantes d'histogenèse différente sont encore plus rares chez le chien. À la connaissance des auteurs, il s'agit du premier rapport de myxosarcome et d'hémangiosarcome coexistant dans le cœur d'un chien. Les myxosarcomes cardiaques doivent être pris en compte dans le diagnostic différentiel des masses cardiaques intracavitaires associées à des signes d'obstruction et d'insuffisance cardiaque.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Metastatic cutaneous myxosarcoma in an adult horse.

A 25-year-old mixed-breed equine with separate nodular cutaneous lesions in the right thoracic limb (RTL) and right ventral abdominal region was admitted to a Veterinary Hospital in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was performed on the RTL lesion and superficial cervical lymph node, and the results were suggestive of a malignant neoplasm known as myxosarcoma. Due to the unfavorable prognosis, the animal was euthanized. Based on the macroscopic and microscopic findings, the diagnosis of metastatic cutaneous myxosarcoma was confirmed. Although rare, this tumor should be considered as a differential diagnosis for cutaneous neoplasms in this species.

Pathological features of primary cardiac myxoid tumour in dogs: a review of 11 cases (2002-2022).

This report documents the pathological features of primary cardiac myxoid tumour (MT) in 11 dogs. Macroscopically, all the tumours were located in the tricuspid valve (TV), its septal leaflet being predominantly affected. Therefore, it appears that the TV is the most common site of occurrence for cardiac MT in dogs. Two gross anatomical types of canine valvular MT were evident. Seven of the 11 tumours were round or oval with a smooth or gently lobulated and glistening surface, while the other four were gelatinous, multilobulated and polypoid, with an irregular surface. Microscopically, in nine cases the tumours had an abundant myxoid matrix within which elongated spindle-shaped cells with no remarkable cytological atypia were sparsely embedded, suggesting a benign character (ie, myxoma). In the other two cases the tumours consisted of variably dense, haphazardly arranged, interlacing streams of anaplastic spindle-shaped or polygonal cells containing many mitotic figures, indicative of a malignant form of myxoma (ie, myxosarcoma). Isolated or clustered collections of myxoma cells (eg, cords, rings, syncytia) characteristic of human atrial myxoma were only rarely evident or lacking in all 11 cases, indicating that rarity or absence of such structural features may be specific to valvular MTs. Immunohistochemical findings were indicative of smooth muscle differentiation of the neoplastic cells. Tumour embolization to the intrapulmonary arteries and/or tumour implantation on the endocardium of the right heart chambers was evident only in the four cases of irregular-surfaced MT.

[Myxosarcoma in the cervical region in a teddy bear hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)]. / Myxosarkom in der Halsregion eines Teddy-Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

This case report describes a rare case of a myxosarcoma in a 1-year-old teddy bear hamster presenting with a mass in the cervical region. The fine-needle aspiration cytology revealed high numbers of pleomorphic spindle-shaped cells found in a viscous mucinous background. The presumptive cytological diagnosis was malignant spindle cell neoplasia based on marked criteria of malignancy of the mesenchymal cell population. The abundant matrix in the background was suggestive of a myxosarcoma. The hamster died during surgery and a necropsy was performed. Histopathology was in complete agreement with the cytological report. Immunohistochemistry revealed the tumour to be vimentin positive with alcian-blue positive matrix and confirmed the presumptive diagnosis of a myxosarcoma. This case shows that fine-needle aspiration cytology can be utilized as a minimally invasive diagnostic tool in small mammals to classify mass lesions. However, so far little is known about the biological behaviour of myxosarcoma in the hamster as case descriptions are rare.

Huge myxosarcoma arising from the greater omentum in a dog.

A 13-year-old intact Pomeranian bitch presented with a 2-month history of abdominal distension and anorexia. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a large tumor in the abdominal cavity without metastases. The tumor was surgically resected and histopathologically characterized by spindle-shaped to atypical-shaped neoplastic cells with basophilic stroma in the omental adipose tissue. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin but negative for cytokeratin, S-100 protein, and α-SMA. The bitch was diagnosed as a myxosarcoma arising from the greater omentum. Postoperatively, metronomic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and piroxicam was initiated. The tumor recurred on postoperative day 49. Although the bitch died 102 days after the initial examination, her general condition was maintained until death.

Obstructive right ventricular outflow tract myxosarcoma in an adult dog.

An 8-year-old female spayed German Shepherd cross was presented for acute onset of respiratory distress. Four days before presentation, the owner noticed a reduced appetite and reluctance to move. Clinical examination identified muffled lung sounds and a left base, diamond-shaped systolic murmur graded 4/6. Echocardiography identified pleural and pericardial effusion, ascites and a myxoid mass (39 mm/18.9 mm) obstructing the right ventricular outflow tract and interfering with the pulmonary valve function. Given the poor prognosis, the dog was euthanatised, and a postmortem examination was performed. Grossly, a mass with a heterogeneous appearance was identified below the pulmonary valve leaflets. Based on histopathological and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of intracardiac myxosarcoma affecting the subvalvular region of the pulmonary artery was made. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of right ventricle out flow tract myxosarcoma in the canine species.

Neuropathogenicity of newly isolated avian leukosis viruses from chickens with osteopetrosis and mesenchymal neoplasms.

ABSTRACT The prototype fowl glioma-inducing virus (FGVp) causes fowl glioma and cerebellar hypoplasia in chickens. In this study, we investigated whether a strain of avian leukosis virus (ALV), associated with avian osteopetrosis and mesenchymal neoplasms, is able to induce fowl glioma. We encountered avian osteopetrosis and mesenchymal neoplasms, including myxosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma, in Japanese native chickens used for both egg-laying and meat production. These birds were also affected by non-suppurative encephalitis and glioma in their brains. Four ALV strains (GifN_001, GifN_002, GifN_004, GifN_005) were isolated, and a phylogenic analysis of envSU showed that these isolates were classified into different clusters from FGVp and the variants previously reported. Whereas the envSU shared a high identity (94.7%) with that of Rous sarcoma virus (strain Schmidt-Ruppin B) (RSV-SRB), the identity between envTM of GifN_001 and that of FGVp was high (94.5%), indicating that GifN_strains may emerge by recombination between FGVp and other exogenous ALVs. Specific-pathogen-free chickens inoculated in ovo with GifN_001 revealed fowl glioma and cerebellar hypoplasia. These results suggest that the newly isolated strains have acquired neuropathogenicity to chickens.

Myxosarcoma Associated with the Kidney in a Cat: Case Report.

A 12 yr old spayed female domestic shorthair with a history of lethargy, anorexia, and a pendulous abdomen was referred after a cranial abdominal mass was palpated on physical examination. Thoracic radiographs and an abdominal ultrasound revealed a mass associated with the kidney and moderate hemoperitoneum. Exploratory laparotomy revealed abdominal hemorrhage originating from a right renal mass that was adhered to the caudal vena cava. Following a right nephrectomy, histopathology diagnosed the mass as a perirenal/renal myxosarcoma. Based upon thoracic radiographs and abdominal ultrasound, the patient remains disease free at 14 mo postoperatively.

Canine myxosarcomas, a retrospective analysis of 32 dogs (2003-2018).

BACKGROUND: Myxosarcomas are known to be classified as soft tissue sarcomas. However, there is limited clinical characterization pertaining specifically to canine cutaneous myxosarcomas in the literature. The objective of this study is to evaluate the local recurrence rate, metastatic rate and prognosis of canine myxosarcoma. RESULTS: A total of 32 dogs diagnosed with myxosarcoma via histopathology were included in this retrospective study. All dogs had surgical resection. No adjunct treatments were performed in 9 dogs, while 22 dogs also received either radiation therapy or chemotherapy, or a combination of both. One dog received only NSAID after surgery. Overall median survival time (MST) was 730 days (range 20-2345 days). The MST of dogs with a tumor mitotic count < 10/10 HPF was 1393 days (range 20-2345 days). The dogs with a tumor mitotic count of 10 or greater/10 HPF had a MST of 433 days (range 169-831 days). There was no significant difference of MST among different treatment modalities. Local recurrence was noted in 13 cases (40.6%) and the median time to recurrence was 115.5 days (range 50-1610 days). The median time to local recurrence in dogs with mitotic count of < 10/10 HPF was 339 days (range 68-1610 days) and in dogs with mitotic count of 10 or greater/10 HPF was 119 days (range 50-378). Metastasis to local lymph node or lung was noted in 8 cases (25%) with median time to metastasis of 158.5 days (range 0-643 days). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of this retrospective study, myxosarcoma may have a higher local recurrence rate and risk of metastasis to the local lymph nodes compared to other soft tissue sarcomas.

Primary Multicentric Pulmonary Low-grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma and Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 Detection in a Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).

We describe the gross, microscopical, histochemical and immunohistochemical features of a sclerosing pneumopathic disease process resembling primary multicentric pulmonary low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma in a juvenile female leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). The animal was fresh, presented in good body condition and stranded dead in Aracaju, Sergipe state, Brazil, in September, 2017. Grossly, the lungs were enlarged bilaterally and the parenchyma was replaced by large, coalescing, white, firm masses that extended into the bronchi and bronchioles and to the pleura. Microscopically, these masses consisted of paucicellular populations of well-differentiated, spindle-shaped fibroblasts with low pleomorphism and low mitotic count, but tissue invasion. Abundant collagen in compact areas merged with peripheral fibromyxoid foci and inflamed stroma. Antibodies specific for cytokeratins AE1/AE3 and smooth muscle actin (SMA) labelled pneumocytes lining the remaining distorted alveoli and the hypertrophied and hyperplastic bronchial muscles, respectively. Tumour cells were negative for SMA; neither neoplastic nor normal tissues cross-reacted with antibodies specific for vimentin or Ki67. Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) polymerase chain reaction analysis from formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded lung tissue sections amplified a 450 base pair fragment of DNA-polymerase (UL30 region) that had 100% homology to sequences previously detected in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) on the Brazilian coast. Enterocolitis was a concomitant condition that likely caused morbidity in this case. These findings contribute to the body of knowledge on sea turtle health and expand the known geographical range for ChHV5 in the southern hemisphere.

Extracardiac intrapericardial myxosarcoma causing right ventricular outflow tract obstruction in a dog.

A 13-year-old male castrated pomeranian cross was referred for evaluation of episodes of collapse and a suspected cardiac mass. The presence of a mass at the base of the heart within the pericardial space was confirmed by echocardiography. Additional diagnostics included computed tomography, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirate, and thoracic radiographs. The mass was surgically debulked and diagnosed as myxosarcoma via histopathology. This case report describes the diagnostic imaging, laboratory findings, and short-term positive clinical outcome of a dog with a myxosarcoma in a previously undescribed location.

Metastatic myxosarcoma in a Quarter Horse gelding.

A 22-y-old Quarter Horse gelding was presented to the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital for evaluation of increased heart rate and mild colic signs. Rectal examination revealed a large left perirenal mass. Abdominal ultrasonography further confirmed this finding. Thoracic ultrasonography indicated multifocal irregularities on the pleural surface suggestive of consolidation and possibly masses in the lungs. The animal was euthanized. Autopsy findings included a large, firm, expansile, gelatinous retroperitoneal mass that surrounded both kidneys, as well as nodules with similar morphology in the lungs, liver, intestinal mesentery, cecum, and caudal mesenteric artery. Histologically, the masses were composed of neoplastic stellate-to-spindloid cells in abundant mucinous stroma. Neoplastic cells exhibited strong immunoreactivity for vimentin and were negative for pancytokeratin (A1/A3), CD3, CD20, melan A, and synaptophysin. Mucinous stroma was strongly positive with alcian blue and weakly positive with periodic acid-Schiff histochemical staining. These findings are consistent with metastatic myxosarcoma. Myxosarcoma is a rare neoplasm in horses, and metastasis to tissues other than sentinel lymph nodes has not been described previously to our knowledge.

Compartmental resection of peripheral nerve tumours with limb preservation in 16 dogs (1995-2011).

Peripheral nerve tumours (PNTs) affecting the limbs may lead to chronic pain, lameness and/or monoparesis that is refractory to medical treatment. The most common radical therapy for PNTs has been surgical excision with limb amputation. However, compartmental resection with preservation of the limb has been performed by the authors with favourable clinical results and therefore this bi-institutional retrospective study was undertaken to assess limb function, survival and recurrence. Sixteen dogs that had been diagnosed with PNTs between 1995 and 2011 met the inclusion criteria for this study. In the majority of the cases, good to excellent limb function was achieved. The overall median survival time (MST) was 1303days (42.8 months; range, 14 days-4639 days, [0.5-152.4 months]), with two dogs still alive at time of evaluation. Non-infiltrated margins were the best prognostic indicator; dogs with non-infiltrated margins had a MST of 2227days (P<0.001) compared to dogs with infiltrated margins (MST of 487 days). The 1-year calculated survival rate was 68.8% and the 2- and 3-year calculated survival rates were 62.5%. Surgical treatment with tumour removal and limb spare for proximal and distal PNTs can be successful. Compartmental excision can lead to good limb function, producing survival comparable to limb amputation, and should therefore be considered as an alternative to limb amputation in canine PNTs.

Charcot-Leyden crystals: do they exist in veterinary species? A case report and literature review.

The Charcot-Leyden crystal (CLC) is a major human eosinophil protein that readily crystallizes; these crystals are common in eosinophilic diseases. Although anecdotal existence of these crystals is known in veterinary pathology, definitive reports do not exist, to our knowledge. We identified eosinophilic crystals in a laryngeal myxosarcoma from a 2-y-old, spayed female, Labrador Retriever dog that were tentatively interpreted as CLCs. However, Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast stain was negative, arguing against CLCs. The crystals stained red with Masson trichrome, precluding collagen. Periodic acid-Schiff and alcian blue were negative. The crystals stained positively with Okajima, and no myoglobin immunoreactivity was detected, supporting their identity as hemoglobin crystals. In the absence of a hematologic abnormality, these crystals were interpreted to be abnormal hemoglobin breakdown products. Protein sequence comparison was pursued to determine whether a protein similar to CLC exists in mammals. Only 3 nonhuman primate species, the Sumatran orangutan ( Pongo abelii), rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta), and cynomolgus monkey ( Macaca fascicularis), had a sequence similarity of >80%. Of the crystal-forming residues, 12 of 54 (22%) were different in the Sumatran orangutan and 15 of 54 (28%) were different in the Macaca spp., which may affect the crystallization process. The lack of reports of CLCs in nonhuman species and our results collectively suggest that CLCs are human-specific.

Metronomic Chemotherapy for Myxosarcoma Treatment in a Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori).

A 22-year-old, wild-caught male kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) developed a large, slow-growing subcutaneous mass over the keel. The mass was surgically debulked and histopathologically described as a myxosarcoma. Surgical dehiscence and concurrent local tumor regrowth, with no evidence of metastasis, occurred over the subsequent 3 months, necessitating 2 additional surgical procedures to close the wound. At 19 weeks after the initial procedure, a second debulking surgical procedure was performed, at which time carboplatin-impregnated matrix beads were placed in the lesion. Moderate local tumor regrowth was clinically appreciable 4 weeks after surgery, at which time an oral metronomic chemotherapeutic protocol consisting of daily cyclophosphamide (10 mg/m(2)) and meloxicam (0.1 mg/kg) was initiated. Four months later, the tumor was no longer palpable. While oral therapy was discontinued during the breeding season, mass regrowth was observed, and the mass was surgically debulked before reinitiating oral chemotherapy. Treatment was extended for over 1 year with no hematologic evaluation or serum biochemical abnormalities, and the bird otherwise remained clinically healthy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a myxosarcoma in a bustard species and the first report of successful clinical application of metronomic chemotherapy in an avian species.

Multiple intra-abdominal serosal myxosarcomas in two koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus).

Two adult koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) were presented for necropsy examination without any clinical history. A diffuse, severe gelatinous effusion was found in the abdominal cavity, while numerous 1-3 mm diameter, round, well-demarcated, multifocal to coalescing, raised, firm nodules containing a clear gelatinous fluid were scattered on the surface of the parietal peritoneum, diaphragm, liver, gastrointestinal tract and mesentery. Microscopically, the nodular lesions consisted of spindle-shaped to stellate neoplastic cells, with scant eosinophilic cytoplasm and moderate anisocytosis and anisokaryosis. The neoplastic cells were admixed with and surrounded by abundant acellular pale eosinophilic material that was stained by Alcian blue and only weakly by the periodic acid-Schiff reaction. Serosal proliferations are described rarely in koalas and to the authors' knowledge this is the first reported case of serosal myxosarcoma. The significance and pathogenesis of this condition in the koala population is unknown.