FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Intracranial medulloblastoma as the cause of progressive ata...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2022; 37(1); 361-365; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16592

Intracranial medulloblastoma as the cause of progressive ataxia in a 6-month-old draft horse cross gelding.

Abstract: We describe the unique clinical presentation of a central nervous system neoplasm in a 6-month-old draft horse cross gelding. Based on the neurologic examination at admission, neurolocalization was most consistent with a mildly asymmetric cervical, multifocal, or diffuse myelopathy. Mild vestibular involvement also was considered, but no cranial nerve deficits were observed. The gelding was negative for Sarcocystis neurona or Neospora hughesi based on paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples analyzed, with no evidence of cervical compression based on contrast myelography. The horse was euthanized because of progression of clinical signs. At necropsy, a mass was identified associated with the cerebellum, and histopathology was consistent with medulloblastoma, which has not been reported previously in the horse.
© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2022-11-25 PubMed ID: 36433686PubMed Central: PMC9889683DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16592Google 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.
LinkedInCopy
  • Case Reports

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.

The research article revolves around a unique case study of a 6-month-old draft horse cross gelding. The horse developed a central nervous system neoplasm, specifically a medulloblastoma, that was identified post-mortem and led to progressive ataxia and the eventual euthanization of the horse.

Clinical Presentation

  • The horse in the study exhibited signs of a neurologic disorder, particularly myelopathy of the cervical region, which was mildly asymmetric, multifocal, or diffuse. Vestibular involvement was also considered, though no specific cranial nerve deficits were observed. This unusual mix of symptoms led to an uncertain initial diagnosis.

Diagnostic Process

  • Testing was performed to rule out a couple of typically prevalent equine neurological diseases, Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, by analysis of paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Results turned out negative for both diseases. Contrast myelography was also carried out but showed no evidence of cervical compression.

End Result and Necropsy

  • Due to the progression of clinical signs and the inability to identify and treat the disease causing them, the decision was taken to euthanize the horse. Upon conducting a necropsy, a mass associated with the cerebellum was discovered.

Histopathology and final diagnosis

  • Upon further examination of the mass, the histopathology was consistent with medulloblastoma. Medulloblastoma is a type of malignancy that affects the central nervous system, more specifically, primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the cerebellum. This conclusion is noteworthy because it’s the first time medulloblastoma has been reported in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Palmisano M, Bender S, Johnson AL. (2022). Intracranial medulloblastoma as the cause of progressive ataxia in a 6-month-old draft horse cross gelding. J Vet Intern Med, 37(1), 361-365. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16592

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 37
Issue: 1
Pages: 361-365

Researcher Affiliations

Palmisano, Megan
  • Department of Clinical Studies - New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
Bender, Susan
  • Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
Johnson, Amy L
  • Department of Clinical Studies - New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Sarcocystosis / veterinary
  • Coccidiosis / veterinary
  • Medulloblastoma / diagnosis
  • Medulloblastoma / veterinary
  • Encephalomyelitis / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Antibodies, Protozoan
  • Sarcocystis
  • Spinocerebellar Degenerations / veterinary
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / veterinary
  • Ataxia / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 37 references
  1. Mayhew IG, deLahunta A, Whitlock RH, Krook L, Tasker JB. Spinal cord disease in the horse.. Cornell Vet 1978 Jan;68 Suppl 6:1-207.
    pubmed: 618720
  2. Northcott PA, Robinson GW, Kratz CP, Mabbott DJ, Pomeroy SL, Clifford SC, Rutkowski S, Ellison DW, Malkin D, Taylor MD, Gajjar A, Pfister SM. Medulloblastoma.. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2019 Feb 14;5(1):11.
    pubmed: 30765705doi: 10.1038/s41572-019-0063-6google scholar: lookup
  3. Kaatsch P, Grabow D, Spix C. German Childhood Cancer Registry—Annual Report 2016. Institut fur Medizinische Biometrie, Epidemiologie und Informatik; 2016.
  4. Brasme JF, Chalumeau M, Doz F, Lacour B, Valteau-Couanet D, Gaillard S, Delalande O, Aghakhani N, Sainte-Rose C, Puget S, Grill J. Interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis of medulloblastoma in children: distribution and determinants in a population-based study.. Eur J Pediatr 2012 Jan;171(1):25-32.
    pubmed: 21537925doi: 10.1007/s00431-011-1480-zgoogle scholar: lookup
  5. Jolly RD, Alley MR. Medulloblastoma in calves. A report of three cases.. Pathol Vet 1969;6(5):463-8.
    pubmed: 5392655doi: 10.1177/030098586900600510google scholar: lookup
  6. Kitagawa M, Koie H, Kanayamat K, Sakai T. Medulloblastoma in a cat: clinical and MRI findings.. J Small Anim Pract 2003 Mar;44(3):139-42.
    pubmed: 12653331doi: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2003.tb00136.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  7. McConnell JF, Platt S, Smith KC. Magnetic resonance imaging findings of an intracranial medulloblastoma in a Polish Lowland Sheepdog.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2004 Jan-Feb;45(1):17-22.
    pubmed: 15005356doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2004.04003.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  8. Lampe R, Vieson MD, Hague D, Connell D, Foss K, Selting KA. Medulloblastoma in a 6 Year Old Mixed Breed Dog: Surgical Debulking and Chemotherapy.. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:401.
    pmc: PMC6874134pubmed: 31799282doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00401google scholar: lookup
  9. Steinberg H, Galbreath EJ. Cerebellar medulloblastoma with multiple differentiation in a dog.. Vet Pathol 1998 Nov;35(6):543-6.
    pubmed: 9823598doi: 10.1177/030098589803500611google scholar: lookup
  10. Patsikas M, Jakovljevic S, Papadopoulou P, Polizopoulou Z, Kazakos G, Tontis D, Soultani C, Charitanti A, Chrissogonidis I, Tsifountoudis I. Magnetic resonance imaging features of cerebellar vermis medulloblastoma in an adult canine patient.. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents 2014 Apr-Jun;28(2):341-7.
    pubmed: 25001666
  11. Mandrioli L, Biserni R, Panarese S, Morini M, Gandini G, Bettini G. Immunohistochemical profiling and telomerase activity of a canine medulloblastoma.. Vet Pathol 2011 Jul;48(4):814-6.
    pubmed: 21123861doi: 10.1177/0300985810390016google scholar: lookup
  12. Dang-Tan T, Franco EL. Diagnosis delays in childhood cancer: a review.. Cancer 2007 Aug 15;110(4):703-13.
    pubmed: 17620277doi: 10.1002/cncr.22849google scholar: lookup
  13. Dang-Tan T, Trottier H, Mery LS, Morrison HI, Barr RD, Greenberg ML, Franco EL. Delays in diagnosis and treatment among children and adolescents with cancer in Canada.. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008 Oct;51(4):468-74.
    pubmed: 18454472doi: 10.1002/pbc.21600google scholar: lookup
  14. Dobrovoljac M, Hengartner H, Boltshauser E, Grotzer MA. Delay in the diagnosis of paediatric brain tumours.. Eur J Pediatr 2002 Dec;161(12):663-7.
    pubmed: 12447667doi: 10.1007/s00431-002-1088-4google scholar: lookup
  15. Flores LE, Williams DL, Bell BA, O'Brien M, Ragab AH. Delay in the diagnosis of pediatric brain tumors.. Am J Dis Child 1986 Jul;140(7):684-6.
    pubmed: 3012997doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1986.02140210082031google scholar: lookup
  16. Damiani D, Suciu V, Andreiuolo F, Calderaro J, Vielh P. Young investigator challenge: Cytomorphologic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in 70 pediatric patients with medulloblastoma and review of the literature focusing on novel diagnostic and prognostic tests.. Cancer Cytopathol 2015 Nov;123(11):644-9.
    pubmed: 26769585doi: 10.1002/cncy.21633google scholar: lookup
  17. Dhall G. Medulloblastoma.. J Child Neurol 2009 Nov;24(11):1418-30.
    pubmed: 19841429doi: 10.1177/0883073809341668google scholar: lookup
  18. Ho CY, VandenBussche CJ, Huppman AR, Chaudhry R, Ali SZ. Cytomorphologic and clinicoradiologic analysis of primary nonhematologic central nervous system tumors with positive cerebrospinal fluid.. Cancer Cytopathol 2015 Feb;123(2):123-35.
    pubmed: 25487367doi: 10.1002/cncy.21502google scholar: lookup
  19. Lindsey C, Aschenbroich SA, Credille BC, Barton MH, Howerth EW. Pathology in Practice. Ependymoma of the right lateral ventricle with internal hydrocephalus in a horse.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015 May 15;246(10):1067-9.
    pubmed: 25932931doi: 10.2460/javma.246.10.1067google scholar: lookup
  20. Százados I. [Ependymoma as the cause of severe brain symptoms in a horse].. Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr 1973 Feb 1;80(3):57.
    pubmed: 4568680
  21. Heath SE, Peter AT, Janovitz EB, Selvakumar R, Sandusky GE. Ependymoma of the neurohypophysis and hypernatremia in a horse.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1995 Sep 15;207(6):738-41.
    pubmed: 7657573
  22. Gericota B, Aleman M, Kozikowski TA, Pesavento P, Bollen AW, Madigan JE, Higgins RJ. A grade IV glioblastoma with an oligodendroglial component (GBM-O) in a horse.. J Comp Pathol 2010 May;142(4):332-5.
    pubmed: 19897210doi: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2009.09.007google scholar: lookup
  23. Easton-Jones C, Woolard K, Mohr FC, Roy MA, Aleman M. Ganglioglioma of the Right Cerebrothalamus in a 7-Year-Old Quarter Horse Cross Gelding.. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:356.
    pmc: PMC6817571pubmed: 31696122doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00356google scholar: lookup
  24. Manso-Díaz G, Dyson SJ, Dennis R, García-López JM, Biggi M, García-Real MI, San Román F, Taeymans O. Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of equine head disorders: 84 cases (2000-2013).. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2015 Mar-Apr;56(2):176-87.
    pubmed: 25139131doi: 10.1111/vru.12210google scholar: lookup
  25. Holshuh HJ, Howard EB. Pineoblastoma, a primitive neuroectodermal tumor in the brain of a horse.. Vet Pathol 1982 Sep;19(5):567-9.
    pubmed: 7147618doi: 10.1177/030098588201900516google scholar: lookup
  26. Clarke HE, Johnson AL, Engiles JB. Intracerebral medulloepithelioma in a horse. Vet Pathol 2009;46:1045.
  27. Monk CS, Craft WF, Abbott JR, Farina LL, Reuss SM, Czerwinski SL, Brooks DE, Plummer CE. Clinical behavior of intraocular teratoid medulloepithelioma in two-related Quarter Horses.. Vet Ophthalmol 2017 Nov;20(6):551-559.
    pubmed: 27440405doi: 10.1111/vop.12409google scholar: lookup
  28. Matiasek K, Cronau M, Schmahl W, Gerhards H. Imaging features and decision making in retrobulbar neuroendocrine tumours in horses--case report and review of literature.. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med 2007 Aug;54(6):302-6.
    pubmed: 17650150doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0442.2007.00955.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  29. Lacombe VA, Sogaro-Robinson C, Reed SM. Diagnostic utility of computed tomography imaging in equine intracranial conditions.. Equine Vet J 2010 Jul;42(5):393-9.
    pubmed: 20636774doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00086.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  30. Williamson LH, Farrell RL. Intracranial schwannoma in a horse.. Cornell Vet 1990 Apr;80(2):135-41.
    pubmed: 2318039
  31. Ladd SM, Crisman MV, Duncan R, Rossmeisl J, Almy FS. Central nervous system hemangiosarcoma in a horse.. J Vet Intern Med 2005 Nov-Dec;19(6):914-6.
    pubmed: 16355690doi: 10.1892/0891-6640(2005)19[914:cnshia]2.0.co;2google scholar: lookup
  32. Covington AL, Magdesian KG, Madigan JE, Maleski K, Gray LC, Smith PA, Wisner ER. Recurrent esophageal obstruction and dysphagia due to a brainstem melanoma in a horse.. J Vet Intern Med 2004 Mar-Apr;18(2):245-7.
    pubmed: 15058779doi: 10.1892/0891-6640(2004)18<245:reoadd>2.0.co;2google scholar: lookup
  33. Wright JA, Giles CJ. Diffuse carcinomatosis involving the meninges of a horse.. Equine Vet J 1986 Mar;18(2):147-50.
    pubmed: 3698955doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1986.tb03574.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  34. Lehmbecker A, Liebing J, Barthel Y, Habierski A, Cavalleri J, Puff C, Rademacher B, Lumpe S, Beineke A. Neurolymphomatosis in three horses with multicentric T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma.. J Comp Pathol 2014 Aug-Oct;151(2-3):181-5.
    pubmed: 24915887doi: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2014.04.004google scholar: lookup
  35. Morrison LR, Freel K, Henderson I, Hahn C, Smith SH. Lymphoproliferative disease with features of lymphoma in the central nervous system of a horse.. J Comp Pathol 2008 Nov;139(4):256-61.
    pubmed: 18823902doi: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2008.07.008google scholar: lookup
  36. Hahn C, Masty J. Overview of neuroanatomy. In: Furr M, Reed S, eds. Equine Neurology. 2nd ed. Ames, IA: John Wiley & Sons; 2015:3‐20.
  37. March PA. Diseases of the Brain and Cranial Nerves. St. Louis Missouri: Elsevier Public Health Emergency Collection; 2009:1249‐1276.

Citations

This article has been cited 0 times.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.