title: Malignant melanoma in a grey horse: case presentation and review of equine melanoma treatment options.
abstract: A 15 year-old grey Thoroughbred gelding presented for investigation of chronic weight loss and recent onset of respiratory difficulty. Clinical examination confirmed tachypnoea with increased respiratory effort. Thoracic ultrasound examination detected pleural effusion. The dyspnoea was related to the large volume of pleural effusion and, following post-mortem examination, to the presence of a large mediastinal mass. Multiple pigmented masses, likely melanomas, were detected peri-anally. Thoracic radiography, cytological examination of the pleural fluid and a fine needle aspirate of a thoracic mass led to a presumptive diagnosis of malignant melanoma and this was confirmed at post mortem examination. Further metastatic spread to the central nervous system and right guttural pouch was also identified. In conclusion this case manifests the potential malignant behaviour of equine melanomas, and a review of proposed therapies for melanoma treatment highlights the therapeutic options and current areas of research.
authors.affiliation: Section of Veterinary Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Science Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. metcalfelucy@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Lucy Va
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Stratos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papakonstantinou
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Cahalan
authors.forename: Hester
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McAllister
authors.forename: Vivienne E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Duggan