Squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin in a dog presenting with bone metastasis

J Vet Med Sci. 2019 Aug 24;81(8):1177-1181. doi: 10.1292/jvms.18-0594. Epub 2019 Jun 4.

Abstract

A 10-year-old female American Pit Bull dog was diagnosed with metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma of the scapula. Immunohistochemistry showed positive immunoexpression for cytokeratins (AE1/AE3, 34BE12, CK7) and vimentin, confirming squamous cell carcinoma. No evidence of nodules was found in the complete physical examination and imaging procedures conducted. The patient was diagnosed with carcinoma of unknown primary origin. Amputation and adjuvant chemotherapy with doxorubicin and piroxicam were performed, but the patient died of respiratory failure after 737 days of diagnosis. Necropsy confirmed undifferentiated carcinoma infiltrating the lungs and kidneys, and showing the same immunoexpression as the tumor in the scapula. Amputation associated with chemotherapy extended the overall survival time of this patient.

Keywords: canine; carcinoma of unknown primary; metastatic cancer; neoplasm.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amputation, Surgical / veterinary
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Bone Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Bone Neoplasms / surgery
  • Bone Neoplasms / veterinary*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / secondary*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / surgery
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / veterinary*
  • Dogs
  • Drug Therapy / veterinary
  • Female
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Keratins / metabolism
  • Kidney Neoplasms / secondary
  • Kidney Neoplasms / veterinary
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Lung Neoplasms / veterinary
  • Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / surgery
  • Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / veterinary*
  • Scapula / metabolism
  • Scapula / pathology
  • Scapula / surgery
  • Vimentin / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Vimentin
  • Keratins