Pathology in practice. Hepatocellular carcinoma with secondary inflammation

A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF NEOPLASIA IN NONDOMESTIC FELIDS IN HUMAN CARE, WITH A COMPARATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

This retrospective study of neoplasia in nondomestic felids in human care presents the cases diagnosed at Northwest ZooPath (NWZP), Monroe, Washington, from 1998 to 2017 in conjunction with a scoping literature review. The 554 neoplasms identified in 20 species in the NWZP archive were combined with the 984 neoplasms identified in those same species in the published literature. Some of the cases identified in the literature were from the NWZP archive. Based on this review, mammary adenocarcinoma (183/1,483, 12.3%), lymphoma (89/1,483, 6.0%), squamous cell carcinoma (85/1,483, 5.7%), pheochromocytoma (57/1,483, 3.8%), and thyroid adenoma (57/1,483, 3.8%) are the most frequently reported neoplasms in nondomestic felids in human care. Apparent species predilections for neoplasia include mammary adenocarcinoma in tigers, jaguars, lions, and jungle cats; lymphoma in lions and tigers; squamous cell carcinoma in snow leopards; pheochromocytoma in clouded leopards; ovarian adenocarcinoma in jaguars; cholangiocarcinoma in lions and tigers; multiple myeloma in tigers; bronchoalveolar adenocarcinoma in cougars and lions; hemangiosarcoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma in lions; mesothelioma in clouded leopards, lions, and tigers; myelolipoma and cutaneous mast cell tumor in cheetahs; soft tissue sarcomas in tigers; and transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in fishing cats.

RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF HEPATOCELLULAR NEOPLASMS IN NILE LECHWE (KOBUS MEGACEROS) FROM TWO FLORIDA ZOOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS

This case series describes hepatocellular neoplasms in 10 Nile lechwe (Kobus megaceros) at two separate zoological institutions in Florida. Histologically, the neoplasms were classified as hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 7), hepatocellular adenoma (n = 2), and hepatobiliary carcinoma (n = 1). Common clinical signs were nonspecific and included thin body condition (n =7), lethargy (n =6), lameness (n =3), and acute recumbency (n =5). Four males and six females were affected, and the mean age at death was 12.7 yr with a range of 4-18 yr. All cases were diagnosed postmortem, and metastasis to various sites, including lung, lymph nodes, and omentum, was found in 40% of cases (n = 4). A single case of hepatocellular carcinoma in a Nile lechwe was described in 2007; however, this is the first reported series of neoplasms in Reduncinae. The pathogenesis behind the development of hepatocellular neoplasms in Nile lechwe has not yet been identified.

Hepatic Lesions in 90 Captive Nondomestic Felids Presented for Autopsy

Hepatic lesions in nondomestic felids are poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate hepatic lesions in 90 captive, nondomestic felids including tigers, cougars, and lions. Hepatic lesions were histologically characterized as vacuolar change (lipidosis or glycogenosis), biliary cysts, biliary hyperplasia, hepatitis, necrosis, neoplasia, fibrosis, veno-occlusive disease, cholestasis, hematoma, congestion, or hemorrhage. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed for vacuolar change, benign biliary lesions, hepatitis, lipogranulomas, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and hepatic stellate cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia, with species as the outcome variable. Ninety cats met the inclusion criteria. Seventy livers (78%) contained 1 or more lesions. Hepatocellular vacuolar change (41/90 [46%]) was the most common lesion overall. Extramedullary hematopoiesis, lipogranulomas, and hepatic stellate cell hyperplasia were also common. One snow leopard had veno-occlusive disease. Tigers were more likely than other felids to have no significant hepatic histologic lesions (odds ratio [OR], 12.687; P = .002), and lions were more likely to have biliary cysts (OR, 5.97; P = .021). Six animals (7%) died of hepatic disease: cholangiocellular carcinoma (n = 2) and 1 each of hepatic lipidosis, hepatocellular necrosis, pyogranulomatous hepatitis, and suppurative cholecystitis. Hepatocellular iron and copper accumulations were present in 72 of 90 (80%) and 10 of 90 (11%) sections, respectively. Sinusoidal fibrosis was common (74/90 [82%]) and primarily centrilobular (65/74 [88%]). Hepatocellular iron, copper, and fibrosis were not significantly associated with hepatic lesions. Primary hepatic disease was not a common cause of death in nondomestic felids in this study.