Immunohistochemical characterization of a hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma in a cat.
A hepatic mass was identified in a 5-year-old, female mixed-breed cat that died spontaneously after a clinical history of progressive emaciation, ptyalism, and persistent coryza. At necropsy, a 7-cm-diameter, yellow-brown, firm, multilobulated tumor was identified in the liver. Microscopically, the mass consisted of neoplastic cells arranged in small, closely packed nests within a thin fibrovascular stroma. These cells were of medium sized and polygonal, with fine argyrophilic cytoplasmic granules. Nuclei were predominantly round with finely stippled chromatin and indistinct nucleoli. Mitotic figures were numerous. Immunohistochemically, most of the neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and weakly labeled for synaptophysin. The tumor was negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, and cytokeratins 5, 6, 8, and 17. Vascular emboli and intrahepatic micrometastasis were also identified with chromogranin A. All these features were consistent with a hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma and emphasized the importance of using a panel of antibodies to diagnose such rare tumors.
Ferreira-Neves
Patricia
P
Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Unité d'Histologie et d'Anatomie Pathologique, 7 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. patsfneves@uol.com.br
Lezmi
Stéphane
S
Lejeune
Typhaine
T
Rakotovao
Farasao
F
Dally
Claire
C
Fontaine
Jean-Jacques
JJ
Bernex
Florence
F
Cordonnier
Nathalie
N
D000818:Animals; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*