Case report: The case of a 17 kg ovarian granulosa cell tumor in a Breton draft mare.
Abstract: Granulosa cell tumor (GCT) is a benign tumor which affects the mare's ovaries. In this report, a case of unilateral GCT in an ovary, which weighed 17.04 kg, of a 9-year-old Breton draft mare is described. A transrectal ultrasonography exam revealed a unilateral multi-cystic enlarged ovary. Laparoscopic ovariectomy was difficult due to enlargement of blood vessels in the ovarian broad ligament. The mare was necropsied, and the pathological changes in the GCT-affected ovary and unaffected ovary were evaluated. The ovarian mass in the GCT-affected ovary had a cribriform pattern and was positive for anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and its receptor (AMHR2). The contralateral ovary showed no follicular development and was negative for AMH. AMHR2 was positively expressed in stromal cells. The AMH concentration in plasma was 4,210 ng/ml. This is the first report showing the presence of AMH (2,210 ng/ml) in ascites fluid, and it also shows that laparoscopic ovariectomy might not be suitable for larger ovaries affected by a GCT. Ultrasonographic, endocrine, and histopathological analyses were helpful for making a definitive diagnosis of GCT in this mare.
©2021 The Japanese Society of Equine Science.
Publication Date: 2021-06-18 PubMed ID: 34220274PubMed Central: PMC8240524DOI: 10.1294/jes.32.67Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research paper discusses a case study of an unusually large benign ovarian tumor (Granulosa Cell Tumor – GCT) found in a young mare. The tumor weighed over 17 kg and caused complications during the standard laparoscopic removal procedure due to the size and increased blood vessels.
Case Report Details
- The paper begins by describing the examined case – a 9-year-old Breton draft mare with a significantly enlarged ovary. Using transrectal ultrasonography, the researchers observed a unilateral multi-cystic enlarged ovary, indicative of a Granulosa Cell Tumor (GCT).
- Typically, such tumors are benign, but in this case, the weight and size of the tumor (17.04 kg) marked an atypical instance, setting the foundation for scientific investigation and discussion within the report.
GCT Removal Attempt and Complications
- Attempts at laparoscopic ovariectomy (a less invasive method of ovary removal) proved to be challenging due to the enlarged blood vessels present in the ovarian broad ligament. This implies that the standard procedure for ovary removal might not be suitable for handling larger GCT-affected ovaries, thus emphasizing the need for alternative methods in such cases.
Post-Mortem Examination
- The researchers performed a necropsy (animal autopsy) on the mare for further pathological examination of both the GCT-affected ovary and the healthy one. The affected ovary demonstrated a cribriform pattern and was positive for Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and its receptor (AMHR2).
- AMH is a substance that influences the growth and development of ovarian follicles. In the affected ovary, the high concentration of AMH (4,210 ng/ml in plasma) evidences the growth and development patterns observed in the GCT.
- This report serves as the first to document the presence of AMH in the ascites (abdominal fluid), which had a concentration of 2,210 ng/ml.
- In contrast, the other ovary showed no signs of follicular development and was negative for AMH. However, it displayed positive expression for AMHR2 in the stromal (connective tissue) cells.
Conclusions and Importance of the Research
- The researchers concluded that ultrasonographic, endocrine, and histopathological analyses were crucial in confirming a definitive diagnosis of GCT in this mare.
- Due to its rarity, this case informs and contributes to the greater body of understanding in veterinary medicine particularly in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of similarly complex cases of GCT.
Cite This Article
APA
Tsogtgerel M, Tagami M, Watanabe K, Murase H, Hirosawa Y, Kobayashi Y, Nambo Y.
(2021).
Case report: The case of a 17 kg ovarian granulosa cell tumor in a Breton draft mare.
J Equine Sci, 32(2), 67-72.
https://doi.org/10.1294/jes.32.67 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- Shadai Horse Clinic, Shadai Corp., Ltd., Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- Equine Science Division, Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Hokkaido 057-0171, Japan.
- Animal Health Division, National Livestock Breeding Center Tokachi Station, Hokkaido 080-0572, Japan.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
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Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Derar D, Ali A, Al-Sobayil F, Refaai W. Granulosa cell tumor in Arabian mares: prevalence, risk factors, clinical and histopathological findings and outcome of surgical removal. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1689782.
- Wolf N, Hahn JA, Walter I, Zablotski Y, Zerbe H, Witte TS. Pathohistological Findings after Bilateral Ovariectomy in Mares with Behavioral Problems. Animals (Basel) 2024 Oct 8;14(19).
- Dolin A, Schweiger P, Waselau M, Egerbacher M, Walter I. Immunohistochemical markers for equine granulosa cell tumors: a pilot study. J Equine Sci 2023 Jun;34(2):37-46.
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