Basal cell carcinoma in two Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni).
Neoplastic disorders are frequently encountered in the practice of reptile medicine. Herein we report the clinical behavior, antemortem diagnosis, and histopathologic characteristics of a recurrent intraoral keratinizing basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and a metastatic BCC of the carapace in 2 Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni). Although squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in tortoises show similar predilection sites and gross pathologic features, the BCCs described in our report were characterized by a remarkably fast and highly infiltrative growth in comparison to SCCs. Accordingly, early diagnosis including reliable discrimination from SCC is essential toward the management of this neoplastic entity in tortoises.
Departments of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases (Hellebuyck, Ducatelle, Bosseler, Versnaeyen, Chiers, Martel), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, BelgiumMedical Imaging (Van Caelenberg), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium tom.hellebuyck@ugent.be.
Tom
T
Hellebuyck
Departments of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases (Hellebuyck, Ducatelle, Bosseler, Versnaeyen, Chiers, Martel), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, BelgiumMedical Imaging (Van Caelenberg), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Richard
R
Ducatelle
Departments of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases (Hellebuyck, Ducatelle, Bosseler, Versnaeyen, Chiers, Martel), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, BelgiumMedical Imaging (Van Caelenberg), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Leslie
L
Bosseler
Departments of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases (Hellebuyck, Ducatelle, Bosseler, Versnaeyen, Chiers, Martel), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, BelgiumMedical Imaging (Van Caelenberg), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Annemie
A
Van Caelenberg
Departments of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases (Hellebuyck, Ducatelle, Bosseler, Versnaeyen, Chiers, Martel), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, BelgiumMedical Imaging (Van Caelenberg), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Han
H
Versnaeyen
Departments of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases (Hellebuyck, Ducatelle, Bosseler, Versnaeyen, Chiers, Martel), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, BelgiumMedical Imaging (Van Caelenberg), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Koen
K
Chiers
Departments of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases (Hellebuyck, Ducatelle, Bosseler, Versnaeyen, Chiers, Martel), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, BelgiumMedical Imaging (Van Caelenberg), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
An
A
Martel
D060105:Animal Shells / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000662:veterinary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D014426:Turtles
Basal cell carcinoma; Hermann’s tortoise; Testudo hermanni; neoplasia