Cutaneous hemangiosarcoma with pulmonary metastasis in a horse.

This research study focuses on a case of skin hemangiosarcoma, a type of cancer, with lung metastasis in a 6-year-old Thoroughbred mare. The mare had a large, ulcerated mass in the neck region, and imaging tests along with a biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of skin hemangiosarcoma spreading to the lungs.

Background

• This case study describes a six-year-old Thoroughbred mare that was treated for an ulcerated mass found in the left cervical (neck) area.
• This mass was visible on the skin surface and measured 7 cm in diameter.

Diagnostic Examinations and Tests

• An ultrasonography scan was performed on the mare, indicating that the mass was less than 1 cm thick and composed of small lobules filled with material hypoechoic (lower echogenicity) to the surrounding muscle tissues.
• The team then carried out a fine-needle aspiration of the mass, a procedure in which a thin needle is inserted into the mass to obtain cell samples. The aspiration yielded blood.
• The gathered samples were then subject to a cytologic examination, a method used for cancer detection based on the observation of cells and their morphology. This examination revealed a few epithelial cells (cells that line the outer surface of the organism) showing neoplastic changes, hinting at the presence of abnormal tissues or tumors.
• Simultaneously, a thoracic radiography of the horse was performed, revealing an interstitial pattern with several disseminated nodules in the horse’s chest region. An interstitial pattern can be indicative of various conditions, including metastases, lung disease among others, thereby hinting at potential internal irregularities.

Diagnosis

• Based on these findings, a diagnosis of cutaneous hemangiosarcoma with pulmonary metastases was made. Hemangiosarcoma is a type of cancer that originates in the cells lining the blood vessels, while “cutaneous” refers to the skin. Furthermore, the term “pulmonary metastases” indicates that the cancer has spread from the skin to the lungs.
• The diagnosis was later confirmed during an autopsy which corroborated the findings of the initial analysis and tests.

In summary, this case study documents the diagnosis and confirmation of a case of cutaneous hemangiosarcoma with pulmonary metastases in a horse. The study underscores the importance of comprehensive symptom analysis, differential testing, and imaging techniques in detecting and diagnosing oncological conditions in animals, and particularly in equines.