title: Undifferentiated tumor in the ovary of a corn snake (Elaphe guttata guttata).
abstract: A 6-year-old intact female corn snake (Elaphe guttata guttata) was presented with a 3-week history of anorexia. Coelomic radiographs revealed a 9 x 4 cm soft tissue opacity suggestive of a right ovarian enlargement. The mass (9 x 5 x 4 cm) was surgically removed, and multiple smears from tissue sections were stained with Diff-Quik. Multiple tissue samples from the mass were collected and fixed in formalin. Cytologic specimens were moderately cellular and contained light pink amorphous background material. The cells were primarily spindle-shaped with moderate to marked anisocytosis and anisokaryosis. Cells sometimes were round to polygonal, and rarely were arranged in small clusters. Macrophages occasionally were observed. Histologic specimens consisted of a highly cellular mass composed of pleomorphic, spindle-shaped cells and, occasionally, round to polygonal cells arranged in irregular fascicles. The neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), smooth muscle actin, and skeletal muscle actin, but did not stain for vimentin or desmin. On the basis of the morphologic and immunohistochemical results, a diagnosis of ovarian undifferentiated carcinoma was made. In this report, we describe the challenges of using immunohistochemistry to diagnose this uncommon type of tumor in reptiles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Comparative Pathology and Veterinary Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Padua, Italy. claudio.petterino@unipd.it
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petterino
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bedin
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Podestá
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ratto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012911:Snakes