Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Congenital ascites due to hepatoblastoma with extensive peritoneal implantation metastases in a premature equine fetus.
- Journal:
- Journal of comparative pathology
- Year:
- 2013
- Authors:
- de Vries, C et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Pathology
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A premature horse fetus that had died was found to have a swollen belly when it was delivered. A thorough examination after death showed fluid in the abdomen and a large, irregular yellow mass in the liver, which was about the size of a basketball. This mass was made up of abnormal cells and had spread to other areas in the abdomen. The diagnosis was a type of liver cancer called hepatoblastoma, which had spread to the surrounding tissues. Unfortunately, this case indicates a serious condition that ultimately led to the fetus's death.
Abstract
A premature dead equine fetus with excessive fluctuating distension of the abdomen was delivered by extraction. Post-mortem examination revealed ascites and a solitary, irregular, bulging, multinodular, firm, yellow mass of 25 cm in diameter in the right liver lobe. Extensive peritoneal implantation metastases were present. The masses were composed of polygonal embryonal cells arranged in sheets and nests. Based on the immunohistochemical expression of Ki67, low molecular weight cytokeratin and alpha-1 fetoprotein, a diagnosis of hepatoblastoma with peritoneal implantation metastases was made.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22819019/