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Periarticular histiocytic sarcoma with heart metastasis in a cat

A 4-year-old intact female domestic short-haired cat was referred for recommendations about adjuvant medical treatment 1 month after left forelimb amputation due to periarticular histiocytic sarcoma (HS). At presentation, physical abnormalities were limited to enlarged ipsilateral superficial cervical and axillary lymph nodes. Routine blood analysis, abdominal ultrasound, and thoracic radiology were unremarkable. The cat initially received lomustine without any adverse events. Four weeks later, the cat developed severe acute respiratory distress. Results of thoracic radiographs and transthoracic echocardiographic analysis were suggestive of pulmonary and heart metastasis. Due to the cat's poor clinical condition and prognosis, the owner elected euthanasia, and a necropsy was performed. Based on gross pathology, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry, an HS with nodal, renal, pulmonary, and heart (right auricular and right ventricular) metastases was diagnosed. This case represents the first description of HS with a heart metastasis in a cat, providing further insight into the clinical course and metastatic behavior of this rare malignant neoplasm. Clinicians should be aware of this site of metastasis and consider HS in the list of differential diagnoses for secondary heart tumors in cats.

Histiocytic Sarcoma in the Tarsus of a Cat

A 12-year-old Persian cat was examined for a firm swelling of the right tarsal region and enlargement of the corresponding right popliteal lymph node. Cytologic evaluation demonstrated a population of malignant cells consistent with large cell lymphoma. Necropsy revealed a multi-lobulated subcutaneous mass involving the tarsus with some extension into adjacent deep muscular tissue. Histologically, the mass was composed of round cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm and pleomorphic anisokaryotic nuclei. Evidence of articular and nodal infiltration by these cells was observed. Differential diagnoses included synovial sarcoma and histiocytic sarcoma. Neoplastic cells were negative for cytokeratin, CD79a, and CD3 and positive for CD18, vimentin, lysozyme, and alpha-1-antitrypsin, most consistent with a diagnosis of histiocytic sarcoma. This is the first report of a histiocytic sarcoma involving a joint of a cat. The final diagnosis was based on the light microscopic appearance in combination with the immunohistochemical stains.

Primary nasal histiocytic sarcoma of macrophage-myeloid cell type in a cat

A 16-year-old neutered male Burmese cat was presented with a locally invasive nasal mass. The cytological and histological findings on incisional biopsy of this mass were suggestive of histiocytic sarcoma. Tumour cells expressed CD18, major histocompatibility complex class II, lysozyme and alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase; and lacked expression of CD3, CD79a, CD1a, CD1b, calprotectin, CD11c and E-cadherin. These findings are consistent with a myeloid-macrophage lineage. Metastasis to the bone marrow was present on necropsy examination. Histiocytic sarcoma should be considered in cats presented with primary round cell neoplasia of the nasal cavity.

Histiocytic sarcoma in the brain of a cat

A mass lesion in the subependymal region of the lateral ventricle in a 13-year-old neutered male mongrel cat with a complaint of somnolence, right circling movement and posture abnormality was examined. The magnetic resonance image examination revealed a relatively large T1-hypointense and T2-hyperintense mass lesion in the left interventricular foramen region, and there were no abnormalities in the chest and abdominal x-ray radiographic, funduscopic, and electric retinogram findings. The cat was died 43 days after the initial referral, and the post-mortem examinations revealed a poorly demarcated subependymal mass. Histologically, the brain lesion consisted of complex proliferation of highly pleomorphic cells resembling histiocytes with atypia and abundant mitotic figures. Moderate infiltrates of small reactive lymphocytes were admixed with the pleomorphic cell population. Gemistcytic astrocytes were also intermingled with the periphery of neoplastic foci. Immunohistochemically, most of the pleomorphic cells were positive for HLA-DR alpha-chain and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1, and few were positive for lysozyme and alpha-1 antichymotrypsin. The atypical pleomorphic cells were negative for CD3, IgG (H and L), glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament, suggesting monocytic/histiocytic-origin of the cells. The number of Ki-67-positive cell nuclei was extremely large, reflecting the high growth activity of these cells. Based on the findings, the lesion was considered as histiocytic sarcoma.

Histiocytic sarcoma of macrophage origin in a cat: case report with a literature review of feline histiocytic malignancies and comparison with canine hemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma

Mild nonregenerative anemia was detected in a 9-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat during a routine examination. Bone marrow core biopsy revealed erythroid hyperplasia; however, a specific cause was not identified. Over the next 8 months the anemia progressed, eventually becoming mildly regenerative, and moderate thrombocytopenia developed. On ultrasonographic examination, marked splenomegaly, mild hepatomegaly, and abdominal lymphadenopathy were found. Cytologic evaluation of splenic aspirates revealed increased numbers of mildly to moderately pleomorphic histiocytes that frequently had phagocytosed RBCs, leukocytes, and occasionally platelets. Histopathologic examination of the spleen and liver revealed effacement of splenic architecture by a histiocytic sarcoma (HS), and neoplastic histiocytes in hepatic sinusoids. A second bone marrow aspirate revealed neoplastic infiltration by similar cells. The histiocytes in all tissues were mildly to moderately pleomorphic and markedly erythrophagocytic. The immunophenotype of histiocytes in the spleen was CD1c(-)/CD11b(+)/CD18(+)/MHC-II(+), supporting a macrophage cell lineage. The clinical, pathologic, and immunophenotypic findings in this cat were similar to those in hemophagocytic HSs in dogs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a HS of purported macrophage phenotype in a cat.