Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor as a cause of chronic cardiac insufficiency in cattle.
Chronic cardiac insufficiency was associated with a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a cow. An eight-year-old cow developed a progressive condition (over a period of three months) characterized by an enhanced abdominal volume, reluctance to move, a positive jugular pulse, watery diarrhea and death. At necropsy, moderate subcutaneous edema and an enhanced hepatic lobular pattern were observed. A 23x20x11 cm firm, grayish-white mass adhered to and infiltrated the right atrium. Multiple firm, yellowish-white nodules of 0.5 to 12 cm in diameter were diffusely scattered in the epicardium and parietal pericardium. Histologically, the tumor was poorly circumscribed with foci of infiltration of the myocardium. The neoplastic cells had two major histologic patterns, Antoni types A and B. Within occasional foci, pleomorphic cells with an epithelioid appearance were present in addition to multinucleated cells with periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-positive cytoplasmic globules. Foci of cartilaginous and granular differentiations were interspersed among the neoplastic cells. Multiple vessels presented wall hyalinization and tumoral embolus. Large necrotic foci with mineralization and cholesterol clefts were also observed. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was positive for S100 protein, vimentin and neuron-specific enolase labeling.
Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Saulo Petinatti
SP
Pavarini
Danilo Carloto
DC
Gomes
Marcele Bettim
MB
Bandinelli
Flademir
F
Wouters
Luciana
L
Sonne
David
D
Driemeier
Cláudio Estêvão
CE
Farias da Cruz
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*