Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Malignant Mesothelioma of the Vaginal Tunic and Peritoneum in a Young Stallion.
- Journal:
- Journal of equine veterinary science
- Year:
- 2019
- Authors:
- MacMillan, Kathleen M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Health Management · Canada
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This report discusses a rare type of cancer called mesothelioma in a young 2-year-old Standardbred stallion. The horse showed signs of serious health issues, including a lot of fluid in the abdomen, low red blood cell count, and swelling in the legs. During the examination after death, the vets found a large amount of dark red fluid in the belly and a dark red tumor affecting nearby tissues. Tests on the tumor confirmed it was mesothelioma, which is unusual for horses, especially since it started in the vaginal tunic, a part of the reproductive system, and spread to the abdomen. This case provides new insights into how this type of cancer can appear and behave in horses.
Abstract
Mesothelioma is a rare malignancy in horses. This report describes a case in which marked hemoperitoneum, moderate anemia, and moderate dependent edema were the presenting clinical signs in a 2-year-old Standardbred stallion with mesothelioma of the vaginal tunic. On necropsy, approximately 40 L of dark red fluid distended the abdomen. A dark red mass infiltrated and effaced the right pampiniform plexus, and red nodular masses were present multifocally on the parietal and visceral peritoneal surfaces. Histopathologically, the masses were composed of malignant spindle cells with a sarcomatoid appearance. Using immunohistochemistry, tumor cells were cytokeratin and vimentin positive and factor VIII-related antigen negative: compatible with a diagnosis of mesothelioma. This is the first report of mesothelioma arising from the vaginal tunic of a horse with subsequent spread to the peritoneum. This case adds additional information regarding the clinical presentation and behavior of mesothelioma originating from the vaginal tunic in horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31443839/