Hepatoblastoma in a cat.
Hepatoblastomas are neoplasms that originate from putative pluripotential stem cells of the liver. A hepatic mass from an 8-year-old Abyssinian cat was composed of cords and sheets of neoplastic cells, with scattered rosettes and small ductal structures. Most neoplastic cells had a pale eosinophilic cytoplasm and a round to ovoid nucleus. The tumor also had short spindle cells with an oval nucleus. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells were weakly positive for embryonic hepatocellular markers, such as alpha-fetoprotein and cytokeratin (CK) 8/18, but negative for the hepatocellular marker Hepatocyte Paraffin 1. The cells were also positive for CD56/neural cell adhesion molecule and for the biliary epithelial markers CK 7, CK 8/18, CK CAM5.2, and vimentin, but negative for CK 20. Some neoplastic cells expressed neuroectodermal or neuroendocrine markers, such as protein gene product 9.5 and synaptophysin, but were negative for chromogranin A and not argyrophilic by the Grimelius technique. The cat died soon after the biopsy without clinical improvement.
Marupi Lifetech Co, Ltd, 103 Fushio-cho, Ikeda-shi, Osaka 563-0011, Japan. naoko-ano@ds-pharma.co.jp
N
N
Ano
K
K
Ozaki
K
K
Nomura
I
I
Narama
D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*