Clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic features of equine lymphoma.
Abstract: Clinical, laboratory and tissue findings from 37 horses with lymphoma were investigated. Horses ranged in age from 0.3 to 20.5 years (median 5.0 years) and included 18 females and 19 males. Weight loss (n = 25) and ventral edema (n = 21) were the most common historical and physical abnormalities. The most common laboratory abnormalities were hyperfibrinogenemia (n = 26), hypoalbuminemia (n = 19), anemia (n = 19), leukemia (n = 14), hyperglobulinemia (n = 13), and thrombocytopenia (n = 13). Thirty-four tumors involved multiple lymphoid tissues and abdominal or thoracic organs, and 3 tumors were restricted to cutaneous and subcutaneous sites. Histopathologically, all tumors diffusely effaced normal lymph node architecture. Tumor cell morphology was heterogeneous in 17 tumors, and 8 tumors had marked histiocytic and multinucleated giant cell infiltrates. Extensive necrosis or focal fibrosis was present in 22 and 4 lymphomas, respectively. Staining of tumor sections with antibodies against CD3 and CD79alpha molecules resulted in classification of T-cell (n = 26) or B-cell (n = 7) origin. Four tumors could not be classified. Most T-cell tumors comprised small to medium CD3(+) lymphocytes, whereas 5 of 7 B-cell tumors were infiltrated by numerous small T lymphocytes and classified as T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma. Neither estrogen nor progesterone receptor expression was consistently identified by immunochemical assessment of tumor tissues. Fresh tumor cells from 6 horses bound antibodies reactive with equine CD4, CD5, CD8, CD21, or major histocompatibility class II molecules, confirming T-cell (n = 5) or B-cell origin (n = 1). These findings suggest that T-cell lymphoma is more common than B-cell lymphoma in horses and that inflammation, possibly from tumor cytokine production, is frequent.
Publication Date: 2006-11-14 PubMed ID: 17099148DOI: 10.1354/vp.43-6-914Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research paper revolves around the investigation of clinical, lab, and tissue findings from 37 horses diagnosed with lymphoma, with the main discovery that T-cell lymphoma is more common than B-cell lymphoma in horses. This equine lymphoma research gives insights into the lymphoma’s most common historical and physical abnormalities, laboratory abnormalities and its origin.
Clinical and Historical Abnormalities
- The study includes 37 horses ranging in age from 0.3 to 20.5 years, consisting of both male and female horses.
- The most common historical and physical abnormalities noted were weight loss, observed in 25 horses, and ventral edema noted in 21 horses. These parameters helped in the identification of the condition and its severity.
Laboratory Abnormalities
- The common lab irregularities in the test subjects were hyperfibrinogenemia, anemia, leukemia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, and thrombocytopenia.
- These abnormalities serve as red flags for lymphoma and help in the diagnosis.
Tumor Characteristics and Types
- Out of the total tumors, 3 were located at cutaneous and subcutaneous sites, while the majority (34) affected multiple lymphoid tissues and abdominal or thoracic organs.
- All tumors resulted in the diffuse effacement of normal lymph node architecture, highlighting their destructive nature.
- Based on their morphology and composition, the tumors were heterogenous and in some cases (8 out of 37), marked by histiocytic and multinucleated giant cell infiltrates.
- The tumors were divided into T-cell origin and B-cell origin based on their reaction with CD3 and CD79alpha antibodies. A total of 26 were T-cell based, while 7 were B-cell based, with 4 tumors that couldn’t be classified.
Lymphoma Origin
- The research found that Most T-cell tumors comprised small to medium CD3(+) lymphocytes and five out of seven B-cell tumors were infiltrated by many small T lymphocytes, thus categorized as T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma.
- The tumors didn’t consistently express estrogen or progesterone receptors, evident from the immunochemical assessment.
- Fresh tumor cells from 6 horses confirmed the T-cell or B-cell origin by reacting with equine CD4, CD5, CD8, CD21, or major histocompatibility class II molecules.
Conclusion
- The most significant finding is that T-cell lymphoma is more prevalent than B-cell lymphoma in horses.
- There was a common feature of inflammation, which is possibly due to tumor cytokine production.
Cite This Article
APA
Meyer J, Delay J, Bienzle D.
(2006).
Clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic features of equine lymphoma.
Vet Pathol, 43(6), 914-924.
https://doi.org/10.1354/vp.43-6-914 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Immunochemistry
- Lymphoma / diagnosis
- Lymphoma / pathology
- Lymphoma / veterinary
- Male
Citations
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