Veterinary Pathology Online

http://vet.sagepub.com/ A Clinicopathologic and Ultrastructural Study of Undifferentiated Malignant Tumors of the Oral Cavity in Dogs
A. K. Patnaik, P. H. Lieberman, R. A. Erlandson, E. G. Macewen and A. I. Hurvitz Vet Pathol 1986 23: 170 DOI: 10.1177/030098588602300210 The online version of this article can be found at: http://vet.sagepub.com/content/23/2/170

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Vet. Pathol. 23:170-175 (1986)

A Clinicopathologic and Ultrastructural Study of Undifferentiated Malignant Tumors of the Oral Cavity in Dogs
A. K. PATNAIK, P. H. LIEBERMAN, R. A. ERLANDSON, E. G. MACEWEN, AND A. I. HURVITZ
Department of Pathology and Donaldson-Atwood Cancer Clinic; The Animal Medical Center, New York, Ny,and Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N Y
Abstract. Undifferentiated malignant tumors of the oral cavity were diagnosed in six dogs under 2 years of age. The dogs were examined because of pain and swelling of the upper molar or premolar areas. In all six dogs, the tumors were initially misdiagnosed as infections or carnasal abscesses. The differential diagnosis included malignant lymphoma, osteosarcoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, and malignant melanoma. Electron microscopy of three neoplasms showed that there were no specific features characteristic of carcinoma or sarcoma. Immunoperoxidase studies for cytokeratins, epithelial membrane antigen, actin, myosin, desmin, and vimentin were also negative. We conclude that these tumors be designated undifferentiated malignant tumors of the oral cavity until histogenesis is established.

Benign and malignant neoplasms in dogs under 2 years of age are r a ~ e . ~ In, one ~ , ~study of neoplasms in the dog, malignant tumors accounted for only 3.2% of the tumors in dogs under two years old.s Lymphoma, leukemia, and osteosarcoma were among the neoplasms reported in the young dogs.5 The purpose of this report is to describe six cases of undifferentiated neoplasm of the oral cavity in dogs under 2 years of age.

privately by DAKO, Inc. Three of the cases were examined immunohistologically.

Materials and Methods The case records of six dogs under two years old with undifferentiated tumors of the oral cavity diagnosed over a 15-year period were reviewed. Only those cases with complete case records and follow-up information were chosen for the study. Diagnosis was based on histologic examination of tissue specimens. Specimens were processed routinely, fixed in 10%buffered formalin, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Selected slides were stained with Mayers mucicarmine, Schmorls femc femcyanide reduction stain for melanin, and Gridleys reticulum stains. Tissues for electron microscopy were fixed in Karnovskys fixative (paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde), buffered with s-collidine, post fixed in osmium tetroxide, and embedded in Maraglas epoxy resin. Immunoperoxidase procedures were used according to the methods of SternbergerI4and further modification by Erlandson et al. Antibodies against three human epidermal keratins designated AE1, AE2 and AE3 were generously supplied by Dr. Tung-Tien Sien, Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine. Antibodies against actin and myosin were from Miles-Yeda, Ltd. Antibodies against epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and desmin were from DAKO, Inc. Antibodies against vimentin were supplied

Results Undifferentiated, malignant neoplasm of the oral cavity was diagnosed in six young dogs (Table 1). The average age of the dogs was 12.5 months (range, 6 to 22 months). Three dogs were 12 months old or younger. Four dogs were males and two were females. Three dogs were German shepherds, and five were large-breed dogs. Most dogs were examined because of pain and swelling ofthe upper molar or premolar areas. As the tumors grew, suborbital swelling, facial edema, and difficulty eating were observed. Other clinical findings included exophthalmos, loose molar and premolar teeth, nasal and ocular discharge, and ulceration and bleeding from the mouth. Radiographs showed soft tissue swelling and bony erosion. The only abnormal finding on hematologic and biochemical testing was high WBC counts (range, 13,000 to 33,000 WBC/mm3). In five dogs, the primary neoplasm, located in the right side of the oral cavity, was an ill-defined, soft, gray-tan, hemorrhagic tumor involving the upper premolar and molar areas. The tumor extended into maxillary, nasal, and orbital tissues, and sometimes into brain tissue. In the sixth dog (dog 2), the neoplasm involved the soft palate and surrounding tissue. The salivary glands were not involved in any dog. Five dogs were necropsied. Diffuse metastases were

170

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Table 1. Clinical and pathologic findings in six dogs with undifferentiated malignant neoplasm of the oral cavity.
Survival (days) After Diagnosis

No.

Breed

Sex (mo) Age

Clinical Signs on Physical Examination

Gross Pathology

Sites of Metastasis (microscopic)

German shepherd

Giant schnauzer

14

German shepherd

Firm, fluctuating swelling R* side of face with exophthalmos, R nasal disease, & enlarged R mandibular & pharyngeal lymph nodes; lung metastasis on X-ray Mass in back of mouth & soft palate; anorexia & lethargy; submandibular swelling 1 months duration; lung metastasis on X-ray Swelling under R eye; loose molars (1st & 2nd) extracted 1 week before examination Swelling of R nasal & buccal areas; no bone involvement Mass behind eye of 2/2 months duration; no bone involvement initially (surgery two times before examination) Bleeding from nose & mouth; swelling on R side of face & mandible

Mass with deformity involving R maxilla & nasal passage; ulceration of gum & palate

Brain, lungs, lymph nodes, liver, heart, kidneys, adrenal glands, mesentery, intestines, gastric mucosa, testes Brain, lungs, lymph nodes, liver, heart, kidneys, adrenal glands, mesentery, intestines, pancreas, ovaries, mammary glands Brain, lungs, lymph nodes, liver, heart, kidneys, adrenal glands, mesentery, pleura, gastric mucosa, skeletal muscle Lungs, pleura Liver, lymph nodes, adrenal glands

20

Grayish, friable mass involving soft palate & nasal cavity bilaterally

42

Mass involving R maxilla extending to turbinates, palate & gum Mass involving buccal & nasal cavities & intraorbital tissue Mass involving R eye, nose, frontal sinuses & cranial cavity; no oral lesion Ulcerated mass involving R molar arcade & surrounding tissue

German shepherd Mixed breed

12

22

60

Doberman pinscher

13

Lymph nodes

present in all but dog 5 in which only liver metastasis was seen. The primary and metastatic tumors were characterized by groups of small to medium-sized cells with scant stroma (Figs. 1-3). The cells were round or ovoid to spindle-shaped with round to elongated nuclei containing small amounts of chromatin and granular cytoplasm. There were large areas of necrosis often coagulative. The number of mitotic cells per high power field ranged from 23 to 30. There was little morphologic variation among the neoplasms and the metastatic sites. In all cases there was histologic evidence of tumor extension into the maxillary and frontal sinuses, tur-

binates, and adjoining bones, and, in three cases, the cranial cavity. The most common sites of metastasis were lymph nodes (five), lungs (four), liver (four), heart (three), kidneys (three), and brain (three). Because of rapid progression of disease and poor prognosis, all dogs were killed. The average time from diagnosis to death was 22 days (range, 2 to 60 days). The two dogs that lived for 42 to 60 days had multiple surgical resections. In three cases (dogs 1, 2, 5 ) , tissue specimens were examined by transmission electron microscopy; they had remarkably similar ultrastructural features. The tumors consisted of patternless sheets of loosely-organized, polygonal and spindle-shaped cells in stroma

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Patnaik et al.

Fig. 1. Highly cellular neoplasm; small to medium-sized cells, little stroma, and many mitotic cells. HE. Fig. 2. Small to medium-sized, spindle and round pleomorphic cells. HE.

containing scattered collagen fibrils (Figs. 4-6, 8,000 x and Figs. 7,8, 12,000 x). The irreguIarly-shaped nuclei displayed clumped chromatin and one to three nucleoli (Fig. 4). The relatively scanty cytoplasm contained scattered cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum, inconspicuous mitochondria, and a small Golgi apparatus (Figs. 7,8). Polysomes were prominent in many of the neoplastic cells (Fig. 8). Except for scattered, rudimentary cell junctions (Figs. 7, 8), no structures indicating tumor cell differentiation were seen. Immunoperoxidase studies for AE1, AE2, AE3, EMA, actin, myosin, desmin, and vimentin were negative. Discussion Because of the age and clinical signs of the dogs of this report, their lesions were diagnosed as infections or carnasal abscesss, and thus accurate diagnoses were delayed. Neoplasms were suspected when there was no response to antibiotics and when evidence of metastasis was observed. The differential diagnosis in young dogs with clinical
--t

Fig. 3. Higher magnification of Fig. 2. Pleomorphic cells with many mitotic figures invading the mucosa.

Fig. 4. Low magnification electron micrograph of tumor in dog 1. Haphazardly arranged, undifferentiated cells with scanty cytoplasm. Irregularly-shaped nuclei, coarsely clumped chromatin, and multiple nucleoli. Fig. 5. Low magnification electron micrograph of tumor in dog 2. Loosely organized neoplastic cells surrounding lymphocytes. Fig. 6. Low magnification electron micrograph of tumor in dog 5. Undifferentiated neoplastic cells. Nuclei are less atypical than in dog 1.

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Patnaik et al.

Fig. 7. Electron micrograph of tumor in dog 1. Tumor cells joined by two rudimentary cell junctions. There are no diagnostic structures. Fig. 8. Electron micrograph of tumor in dog 1. Two polygonal tumor cells joined by rudimentary cell junction adjacent to a spindle-shaped cell. Polysomes are prominent.

signs similar to those of our dogs includes malignant lymphoma, osteosarcoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, and malignant melanoma. The light microscopic features of the tumors in our dogs excluded all of t h e ~ e . ~ sAlso, ~ - l ~melanomas usually develop in older dog^.^,^^ Ultrastructuralexamination of tissue specimens from three tumors confirmed results of light microscopy that these tumors were undifferentiated neoplasms. Numerous polysomes often were found in rapidly-growing anaplastic tumor cells.6 Features of epithelial differentiation, i.e., tonofilaments, lumens, microvilli, and basement membrane were not evident making a diagnosis of carcinoma untenable. The presence of cell junctions ruled out lymphoma, and the absence of premelanosomal organelles is not compatible with malignant melanoma. Rudimetary cell junctions have been seen in poorly-differentiated carcinomas and, occasionally, sarcomas.6 The cells of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma usually are partially surrounded by basement membrane and contain arrays of actin and myosin

filaments in the cytoplasm. The fine structural findings indicate an undifferentiated tumor and do not permit further subclassification. Immunocytochemical studies further support the truly undifferentiated nature of this neoplasm. In humans also, there are neoplasms which are not possible to subclassify with presently available techniques.
Acknowledgements
Authors thank the Bodman Foundation for support, A. Christine MacMurray for editorial assistance, Dr. T.-T. Sien and DAKO, Inc. for supplying antibodies for immunocytochemistry, and Maryann D. Gangi and Daisy JimenezJoseph for the immunocytochemical procedures.

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Request reprints from Dr. A. K. Patnaik, Department of Pathology, Donaldson-Atwood Cancer Clinic, Animal Medical Center, New York, N Y 10021 (USA).

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