title: Ganglioneuroblastoma in a cat: a rare neoplasm treated with electrochemotherapy.
abstract: An 8-year-old male castrated cat was referred for sudden onset of lameness. Physical examination revealed a 1x2x1cm mass originating from a footpad of the right hind leg. A diagnosis of ganglioneuroblastoma was suggested by the tumour appearance following histopathological staining with haematoxylin and eosin and haematoxylin/van Gieson. Immunohistochemical staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), neurofilament and S100 further confirmed the diagnosis. The staging process did not indicate metastatic spread. The cat was treated with three sessions of electrochemotherapy (ECT) 1 week apart, following local injection of bleomycin. The tumour had completely regressed within 1 week of the third ECT application and remained in remission for 402 days at which time a small recurrence was noted. The animal was given a further session of ECT using intra-lesional cisplatin and again went into remission. It remained tumour free at 450 days. Electrochemotherapy is considered a safe and effective treatment for localised neoplasms of cats and dogs and warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: S.A.F.U. Department, Regina Elena Cancer Institut, Rome, Italy. info@enricospugnini.net
authors.forename: Enrico P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Spugnini
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Citro
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dotsinsky
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mudrov
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mellone
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baldi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D053672:Electrochemotherapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D018305:Ganglioneuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D001761:Bleomycin