title: Testicular leiomyosarcoma and marked alopecia in a cryptorchid ferret (Mustela putorius furo).
abstract: A 3.5-year-old male ferret, bought as male castrated, was presented to the veterinarian with marked alopecia of back, neck, abdomen and tail, a pronounced sexual behaviour and weight loss. An inguinal mass of about 2.5 cm in diameter was diagnosed as potentially tumorous inguinal testicle by ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration. Adrenal glands and prostate were ultrasonographically unremarkable. The surgically removed cryptorchid testicle contained a greyish tumour that was histologically composed of spindle-shaped cells with elongated nuclei, embedded in a fibro-vascular stroma. Up to two mitotic figures per high power field were noted. Additionally, an interstitial cell hyperplasia and marked reactive proliferation of a collagen-rich fibrous tissue were observed. Tumour cells were positive for α-smooth muscle actin, desmin, and occasionally vimentin and S-100, leading to the diagnosis of an intratesticular leiomyosarcoma. As an adrenal-associated endocrinopathy was excluded and a complete fur recovery was observed after removal of the cryptorchid testicle the alopecia was eventually due to hormones produced by the hyperplastic interstitial (Leydig) cells.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Patricia Kammeyer, Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany, Email: patricia.kammeyer@gmx.de.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kammeyer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ziege
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wellhöner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cichowski
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumgärtner
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000662:veterinary*; D005289:Ferrets; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary
keywords: Mustelids; desmin; testicular tumour; α-smooth muscle actin