Equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma: Clinical presentation, management, and outcome of seven cases in the United Kingdom.
Abstract: Only 27 cases of equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma have been reported in the literature over the past 37 years. Out of these, 22% of cases were lost to follow-up, 52% were euthanized, and 26% survived. A scarcity of cases and information is available for this rarely seen conjunctival tumour. Unassigned: To describe the clinical features, management, and outcome of conjunctival hemangiosarcoma in seven horses in the UK. Unassigned: Optivet medical records were reviewed for equine cases seen or advised on with a histopathological diagnosis of conjunctival haemangiosarcoma between January 2013 and March 2023. Medical records were accessed for details of signalment, history, management, and follow-up. Histopathology was used to confirm the diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma and assess the surgical margins. Immunohistochemistry was performed in a minority of cases with poorly differentiated solid tumours to support vascular lineage. Unassigned: Seven eyes from seven horses (five geldings and two mares) with a mean age of 16 years and median of 18 years (range 10-21 years) met the criteria. Serosanguinous discharge was seen in six eyes. All eyes were managed surgically; 4 by exenteration and 3 by conjunctivectomy/keratectomy. Adjunctive cryotherapy was performed in two eyes. Metastatic disease in the ipsilateral parotid salivary gland, confirmed with histopathology, was seen in one horse. Surgical margins were clear in all but one eye. Solar elastosis was noted in five eyes. All horses were healthy at the last follow-up (0.2-5 years, mean 2.9 years, and median 2 years). Unassigned: Equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma is rare. Serosanguinous ocular discharge is a common clinical sign. Early surgical excision is highly effective. Solar elastosis is a common histopathological feature, suggesting a role for UV-light in the pathogenesis.
Publication Date: 2023-10-31 PubMed ID: 38027397PubMed Central: PMC10658016DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2023.v13.i10.17Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research focuses on the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes of seven reported cases of equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma in the UK, a rare type of eye tumour in horses. The study found that surgical excision of the tumour is effective, and initial symptoms often include a bloody ocular discharge.
Methodology
- The researchers collected data from Optivet medical records, looking for diagnosed cases of conjunctival haemangiosarcoma in horses seen or advised on from January 2013 to March 2023.
- The horses’ medical records were then searched for relevant details like the horse’s age, gender, medical history, treatment, and any follow-up visits.
- Through histopathology, a method used to study the microscopic structure of tissues, the diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma was confirmed and the surgical margins assessed.
Findings
- The study included seven horses, five geldings and two mares, with an average age of 16 years.
- Serosanguinous discharge, a common symptom of this eye tumour in horses, was seen in six out of the seven horses included.
- All of the horses underwent surgical treatment, with four of them undergoing exenteration (removal of the entire eye) and the remaining three having a conjunctivectomy/keratectomy (removal of the conjunctiva and cornea).
- In one case, metastatic disease was detected in the salivary gland on the same side of the diseased eye, confirmed through histopathology.
- All of the surgical margins were clear, except for one case, indicating successful removal of the tumour.
- A common histopathological feature found in five horses was solar elastosis, indicating potential damage from UV-light exposure.
- All the horses were healthy at the last follow-up, which ranged between 0.2-5 years after the procedure.
Conclusions
- The research concluded that equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma is rare, but its common clinical sign is serosanguinous ocular discharge.
- All the tumours were successfully managed with surgical removal, indicating that early surgical intervention is highly effective in treating this type of tumour.
- The occurrence of solar elastosis in most of the horses suggests a potential role of UV-light exposure in causing these tumours.
Cite This Article
APA
Kashani-Carver A, O'Halloran C, Scurrell E, Featherstone H, de Freitas FF, Lowe R.
(2023).
Equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma: Clinical presentation, management, and outcome of seven cases in the United Kingdom.
Open Vet J, 13(10), 1366-1378.
https://doi.org/10.5455/OVJ.2023.v13.i10.17 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Optivet Referrals, Havant, UK.
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, UK.
- Cytopath Ltd., Ledbury, Herefordshire, UK.
- The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, UK.
- EDF Energy UK, Brighton and Hove, Hove, UK.
- Optivet Referrals, Havant, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Horses
- Animals
- Male
- Female
- Hemangiosarcoma / diagnosis
- Hemangiosarcoma / therapy
- Hemangiosarcoma / veterinary
- Margins of Excision
- United Kingdom / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horse Diseases / pathology
References
This article includes 44 references
- Arenas-Gamboa A, Mansell J. Epithelioid haemangiosarcoma in the ocular tissue of horses.. J. Comp. Pathol. 2011;144(4):328–333.
- Bolton J, Lees M, Robinson W, Thomas J, Klein K. Ocular neoplasms of vascular origin in the horse.. Equine Vet. J. 1990;22(S10):73–75.
- Boorman S, Scherrer, Stefanovski D, Johnson. Facial nerve paralysis in 64 equids: clinical variables, diagnosis, and outcome.. J. Vet. Int. Med. 2020;34(3):1308–1320.
- Campbell G.A, Gross T.L, Adams R. Solar elastosis with squamous cell carcinoma in two horses.. Vet. Pathol. 1987;24(5):463–464.
- Crawley G.R, Bryan G.M, Gogolewski R.P. Ocular hemangioma in a horse.. Equine Pract. 1987;9:11.
- Diessler M.E, Castellano M.C, Massone A.R, Portiansky E.L, Allende M.G, Idiart J.R, Gimeno E.J. Cutaneous lymphangiosarcoma in a young dog: clinical, anatomopathological and lectinhistochemical description.. J. Vet. Med. A. Physiol. Pathol. Clin. Med. 2003;50(9):452–456.
- Dugan S.J, Curtis C.R, Roberts S.M, Severin G.A. Epidemiologic study of ocular/adnexal squamous cell carcinoma in horses.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1991;198(2):251–256.
- Fosmire S.P, Dickerson E.B, Scott A.M, Bianco S.R, Pettengill M.J, Meylemans H, Padilla M, Frazer-Abel A.A, Akhtar N, Getzy D.M, Wojcieszyn J, Breen M, Helfand S.C, Modiano J.F. Canine malignant hemangiosarcoma as a model of primitive angiogenic endothelium.. Lab. Invest. 2004;84(5):562–572.
- Gearhart P.M, Steficek B.A, Peteresen‐Jones S.M. Hemangiosarcoma and squamous cell carcinoma in the third eyelid of a horse.. Vet. Ophthalmol. 2007;10(2):121–126.
- Giuliano E.A. Equine periocular neoplasia: Current concepts in aetiopathogenesis and emerging treatment modalities.. Equine Vet. J. 2010;42(S37):9–18.
- Hacker D.V, Moore P.F, Buyukmihci N.C. Ocular angiosarcoma in four horses.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1986;189(2):200–203.
- Halsey C.H.C, Worley D.R, Curran K, Charles J.B, Ehrhart E.J. The use of novel lymphatic endothelial cell-specific immunohistochemical markers to differentiate cutaneous angiosarcomas in dogs.. Vet. Comp. Oncol. 2016;14(3):236–244.
- Hargis A.M, Lee A.C, Thomassen R.W. Tumor and tumor-like lesions of perilimbal conjunctiva in laboratory dogs.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1978;173(9):1185–1190.
- Honavar S.G, Manjandavida F.P. Tumors of the ocular surface: a review.. Indian J. Ophthalmol. 2015;63(3):187–203.
- Ifedioranma O, Madukwe J, Onyemelukwe A, Ngokere A. Vimentin and cytokeratin immunostaining: the role in basic diagnosis and prognosis of sarcomas.. J. Drug Deliv. Therap. 2020;10:175–178.
- Kan L.-W.M.D, Leu Y.-S.M.D, Tzen C.-Y.M.D, Wu C.-H.M.D. Recurrent sebaceous gland carcinoma of eyelid previously diagnosed as basal cell carcinoma: case report.. Am. J. Otolaryngol. 2011;32(6):620–623.
- Kim J.-H, Graef A.J, Dickerson E.B, Modiano J.F. Pathobiology of hemangiosarcoma in dogs: research advances and future perspectives.. Vet. Sci. 2015;2(4):388–405.
- Knottenbelt D, Patterson-Kane J, Snalune K. Clinical Equine Oncology.. 1st. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2015. Vascular neoplasms; pp. 332–341.
- Lavach J, Severin G. Neoplasia of the equine eye, adnexa, and orbit: a review of 68 cases.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1977;170(2):202–203.
- Liapis I.K, Genovese L. Hemangiosarcoma of the third eyelid in a dog.. Vet. Ophthalmol. 2004;7(4):279–282.
- Lopez M, Talavera C, Rest J.R, Taylor D. Haemangiosarcoma of the conjunctiva of a giant panda.. Vet. Rec. 1996;138(1):24–24.
- Malalana F. Corneal neoplasia in horses.. Equine Vet. Edu. 2022;34(11):570–572.
- McGowan C. Welfare of aged horses.. Animals (Basel) 2011;1(4):366–376.
- Moore P.F, Hacker D, Buyukmihci N. Ocular angiosarcoma in the horse: morphological and immunohistochemical studies.. Vet. Pathol. 1986;23(3):240–244.
- Multari D, Vascellari M, Mutinelli F. Hemangiosarcoma of the third eyelid in a cat.. Vet. Ophthalmol. 2002;5(4):273–276.
- Peiffer R.L, Duncan J, Terrell T. Hemangiona of nictitating-membrane in a dog.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1978;172(7):832–833.
- Peiffer R.L, Terrell T. Episcleral hemangioma in a dog.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1978;173(10):1338–1340.
- Pinn T.L, Cushing T, Valentino L.M, Koch S.A. Corneal invasion by hemangiosarcoma in a horse.. Vet. Ophthalmol. 2011;14(3):200–204.
- Pirie C.G, Dubielzig R.R. Feline conjunctival hemangioma and hemangiosarcoma: a retrospective evaluation of eight cases (1993–2004). Vet. Ophthalmol. 2006;9(4):227–231.
- Pirie C.G, Knollinger A.M, Thomas C.B, Dubielzig R.R. Canine conjunctival hemangioma and hemangiosarcoma: a retrospective evaluation of 108 cases (1989–2004). Vet. Ophthalmol. 2006;9(4):215–226.
- Richardson S, Deykin A.R. Surgical treatment of conjunctival hemangioma and hemangiosarcoma: a retrospective study of 52 dogs.. Vet. Ophthalmol. 2021;24(5):432–441.
- Ruggles A.J, Irby N.L, Saik J.E, Orsini P.G. Ocular lymphangiosarcoma in a cow.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1992;200(12):1987–1988.
- Sansom J, Donaldson D, Smith K, Blunden A, Petite A, Seeliger M. Haemangiosarcoma involving the third eyelid in the horse: a case series.. Equine Vet. J. 2006;38(3):277–282.
- Scherrer N.M, Lassaline M, Engiles J. Ocular and periocular hemangiosarcoma in six horses.. Vet. Ophthalmol. 2018;21(4):432–437.
- Schultheiss P.C. A retrospective study of visceral and nonvisceral hemangiosarcoma and hemangiomas in domestic animals.. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 2004;16(6):522–526.
- Smith R.E, Janjan N, Kretzschmar S, Hackbarth D. The effect of radiation therapy on von Willebrand factor in patients with angiosarcoma.. Radiother. Oncol. 1989;16(4):297–304.
- Sorenmo K, Duda L, Barber L, Cronin K, Sammarco C, Usborne A, Goldschmidt M, Shofer F. Canine hemangiosarcoma treated with standard chemotherapy and minocycline.. J. Vet. Int. Med. 2000;14(4):395–398.
- Sundberg J, Burnstein T, Page E, Kirkham W, Robinson F. Neoplasms of equidae.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1977;170(2):150–152.
- Sutton R.H, McLennan M.W. Hemangiosarcoma in a cow.. Vet. Pathol. 1982;19(4):456–458.
- Swayne D.E, Mahaffey E.A, Haynes S.G. Lymphangiosarcoma and haemangiosarcoma in a cat.. J. Comp. Pathol. 1989;100(1):91–96.
- Vestre W, Turner T, Carlto W. Conjunctival hemangioma in a horse.. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 1982;180(12):1481–1482.
- Warren A, Summers B. Epithelioid variant of hemangioma and hemangiosarcoma in the dog, horse, and cow.. Vet. Pathol. 2007;44(1):15–24.
- Wegge B, Gasthuys F, Chiers K, Ducatelle R. Haemangiosarcoma of the third eyelid in a horse.. J. Comp. Pathol. 2010;143(4):337–337.
- Zetterström S.M, Matz B.M, Neto R, Lindley S.E.S, Cole R.C, Wilhite R, Boone L.H. Partial parotid sialoadenectomy in a horse with parotid ductal carcinoma: surgical description and case report.. Vet. Surg. 2022;51(2):296–302.
Citations
This article has been cited 0 times.Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists