Primary intimal aortic angiosarcoma in a dog

Vet Pathol. 2008 May;45(3):361-4. doi: 10.1354/vp.45-3-361.

Abstract

A primary intimal aortic angiosarcoma was diagnosed in a 4-year-old, spayed female German Shepherd that presented for complications of thromboembolic disease because of infarcts in multiple organs. On gross examination, aneurysmal dilatation of the aorta was associated with a friable, necrotic mass attached to the endothelial surface, which partially occluded the aortic lumen. On histologic examination, plump neoplastic spindle cells formed a plaque-like mass arising from the intima that merged with a large accumulation of fibrin and necrotic debris, and projected into the lumen. Neoplastic cells invaded periaortic vessels and were seen in some infarct-associated thromboemboli. Tumor cells expressed vimentin and CD31, with infrequent, patchy staining with factor VIII-related antigen; tumor cells were negative for cytokeratin and smooth-muscle actin. Aortic angiosarcoma is a rare malignancy in humans. This is the first description of a primary intimal aortic angiosarcoma in a dog, with immunohistochemical evidence of endothelial origin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aortic Diseases / pathology
  • Aortic Diseases / veterinary*
  • Dog Diseases / pathology*
  • Dogs
  • Euthanasia
  • Factor VIII / analysis
  • Female
  • Hemangiosarcoma / pathology
  • Hemangiosarcoma / veterinary*
  • Orchiectomy / veterinary
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / analysis
  • Tunica Intima / pathology*
  • Vimentin / analysis

Substances

  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Vimentin
  • Factor VIII