Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pleural effusion secondary to thoracic metastatic mammary adenocarcinoma in a mare.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1990
- Authors:
- Foreman, J H et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 17-year-old Quarter Horse mare was seen by a veterinarian nearly three years after having surgery to remove a type of breast cancer called papillary mammary gland adenocarcinoma. Although she had been doing well for a while, she started having increasing trouble breathing. Unfortunately, she passed away before any further tests or treatments could be done. After her death, a thorough examination showed that the cancer had spread to several areas, including her lungs and lymph nodes, and there was a lot of fluid in her chest and abdomen. The fluid contained cancer cells, which could have been identified if she had lived long enough for further testing.
Abstract
A 17-year-old Quarter Horse mare was examined nearly 3 years after excision and cryotherapy of a papillary mammary gland adenocarcinoma. The mare had been used for pleasure riding since surgery, but had recently developed progressive dyspnea. The mare had clinical evidence of pleural effusion, but died before further clinical examination and treatment were instituted. Necropsy revealed deep mammary masses with similar nodules in the deep inguinal, renal, and mediastinal lymph nodes and in the lungs, pericardium, visceral and parietal pleurae, and left ovary. The masses were identified as papillary mammary gland adenocarcinoma. Large volumes of free pleural and peritoneal fluid were detected. The pleural fluid contained similar neoplastic cells that could have been readily detected by exfoliative cytologic examination had the mare survived.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2254151/