title: Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a young Maine coon cat.
abstract: Embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas are uncommon tumors in all domestic species, especially cats. A 14-month-old Maine coon was diagnosed with an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in the rectus abdominus muscle, which was treated with complete surgical excision. Although no clinical progression was noted after surgery, the cat succumbed to pulmonary metastasis within 7 months. The histological diagnosis was embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (myotubular subtype). This category of striated muscle tumors is thought to have a more aggressive clinical course. The rapid demise of this cat even with no clinical or histological evidence of metastasis at the time of resection may indicate that, as in human medicine, adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered in conjunction with early surgical excision in preventing disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-6401, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steffey
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alcaraz
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002415:Cats; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011859:Radiography; D018233:Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*