title: Signalment and clinical complaints initiating hospital admission, methods of diagnosis, and pathological findings associated with bovine lymphosarcoma (112 cases).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lymphosarcoma in adult cattle has multiple manifestations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the signalment, clinical complaints, and tumor location, and to evaluate utility of diagnostic tests in cattle with lymphosarcoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult cattle admitted to Cornell University between January 1980 and December 2008 with a definitive diagnosis of lymphosarcoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case study was conducted with a search of all medical records at Cornell University for cattle diagnosed with lymphosarcoma. Categorical data were analyzed with a Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Sensitivities of diagnostic tests were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 106 cows and 6 bulls (median age 5 years) examined for anorexia (34%), weight loss (16%), and fever (14%). The sensitivities of antemortem diagnostic tests performed were peripheral lymph node (PLN) wedge biopsy, 100%; surgical exploration and biopsy, 100%; pleurocentesis, 80%; pericardiocentesis, 67%; PLN fine-needle aspirate, 41%; abdominocentesis, 33%; and cerebral spinal fluid tap, 19%. Median peripheral blood lymphocyte count was 4,900 cells/muL, 10% of cattle were leukemic and 25% had lymphocytosis according to the Bendixen Key. The most frequently identified tumor locations (% of cattle) were the heart (66%), abomasum (61%), uterus (38%), kidney (32%), and epidural space (26%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Predilection sites were similar to previously reports but we found a higher incidence of renal tumors and lower incidence of retrobulbar tumors. Knowledge of common clinical presentations, organ involvement, and sensitivities of diagnostic tests will aid informed decisions on the most appropriate tests and interpretation of their results in clinical cases of bovine lymphosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA. ab446@cornell.edu
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Nydam
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Divers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016583:Enzootic Bovine Leukosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies