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Pulmonary carcinoma with metastasis in a long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas)
- Source :
- BMC Veterinary Research
- Publisher :
- Springer Nature
-
Abstract
- Background Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed neoplasm in humans, however this does not apply to other animal species. Living in an aquatic environment the respiratory system of cetaceans had to undergo unique adaptations in order to them to survive and cope with totally different respiratory pathogens and potentially carcinogens from those affecting humans. Case presentation This article discusses not only macroscopical, histopathological and immunohistochemical features of a pulmonary carcinoma with disseminated metastases in a long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas), as well as the immunohistochemical analysis performed on various tissues of cetaceans belonging to the genus Globicephala. On the necropsy examination of the carcass, multiple pulmonary nodules and generalised thoracic lymphadenomegaly were noted. Histologically, a malignant epithelial neoplasia was identified in the lung, thoracic lymph nodes, and adrenal gland. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a pulmonary carcinoma. Vasculogenic mimicry and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition phenotype, as suggested by cytomorphological and immunohistochemical characteristics, were observed. Conclusions A diagnosis of metastatic pulmonary carcinoma was determined, which to the author’s knowledge, appears to be not previously recorded in long-finned pilot whale species. This is also the first report of vasculogenic mimicry and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition event in a spontaneous cancer from a cetacean species.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Pathology
medicine.medical_specialty
Lung Neoplasms
Pilot whale
040301 veterinary sciences
Pulmonary carcinoma
Case Report
Metastasis
0403 veterinary science
03 medical and health sciences
medicine
Animals
Vasculogenic mimicry
Lung cancer
Multiple Pulmonary Nodules
Lung
General Veterinary
biology
Neoplasia
Carcinoma
Cancer
04 agricultural and veterinary sciences
General Medicine
Cetacean
medicine.disease
biology.organism_classification
Globicephala melas
veterinary(all)
Whales, Pilot
030104 developmental biology
medicine.anatomical_structure
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
Spain
Female
Tumour
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17466148
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- BMC Veterinary Research
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....1094cd25a91fe75b1efc12463d2ce1e7
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-016-0855-9