Abstract. Twenty-nine canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs) were morphometrically analyzed with regard to mean nuclear area (MNA) using cytopathology smears. The results showed a correlation between MNA and survival. When graded into 2 morphometrically different groups, there were statistically significant differences among high-and low-grade MCTs, regarding both Romanowsky-type stain and hematoxylin and eosin. Cytomorphometry could also separate histologic grade II tumors with better prognosis from the more aggressive MCTs. The results indicated that nuclear morphometry on cytopathology preparations can predict the biological behavior of cutaneous MCTs in dogs in an independent manner, yielding a rapid and reproducible diagnosis, which renders the method useful for veterinary oncology.

INTRODUÇÃOOs mastocitomas são os tumores de pele mais comuns em cães, chegando a representar até 27% de todos os neoplasmas malignos cutâneos. Não há evidência de predisposição sexual e sua incidência aumenta de acordo com a idade, com média dos cães afetados em torno de 8 anos e meio. As raças mais acometidas são as que possuem a Bulldog como ancestral, principalmente as Boxer, Boston This study evaluated the prognostic value of cell proliferation markers for canine cutaneous mast cell tumor cases. Twenty-three cases were analyzed with regard to immunohistochemical expression of Ki67 and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA), and were clinically followed up. Ki67 expression was related to the traditional histopathological grading (p= 0.0418; p<0.05 between grades I and III), and was a reliable indicator of post-surgical survival (p=0.0089). PCNA immunoexpression did not show statistically significant values in the prediction of disease-related mortality and survival, although it is correlated to Ki67 expression. These results confirm that information about tumoral proliferative activity through Ki67 immunohistochemical detection can improve canine cutaneous mast cell tumor grading with regard to malignancy.INDEX TERMS: Mast cell tumor, PCNA, Ki67, proliferation markers, prognostic markers.

No abstract

No abstract

Canine mast cell tumour (MCT) is a biologically heterogeneous disease. The extracellular matrix degradation promoted by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been studied in an attempt to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the biological behaviour of tumours. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression of MMP-2 and -9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and -2 in canine cutaneous MCTs and to evaluate their prognostic values. Immunohistochemical staining for MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2 and TIMP-1 was performed in 46 canine cases of MCTs. TIMP-1 expression showed an independent prognostic value for post-surgical survival and disease-related mortality. Dogs with MCTs showing less than 22.9% mast cell TIMP-1 positivity were more prone to die because of the disease and had a shorter post-surgical survival. This article suggests the involvement of TIMP-1 in MCT progression, by contributing to a good outcome in patients with MCTs.

No abstract

Mast cell tumours (MCTs) are the most frequent canine round cell neoplasms and show variable biological behaviours with high metastatic and recurrence rates. The disease is treated surgically and wide margins are recommended. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy used in this disease cause DNA damage in neoplastic cells, which is aimed to induce apoptotic cell death. Resisting cell death is a hallmark of cancer, which contributes to the development and progression of tumours. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the proteins involved in the apoptotic intrinsic pathway and to evaluate their potential use as prognostic markers for canine cutaneous MCTs. Immunohistochemistry for BAX, BCL2, APAF1, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3 was performed in 50 canine cases of MCTs. High BAX expression was associated with higher mortality rate and shorter survival. BCL2 and APAF1 expressions offered additional prognostic information to the histopathological grading systems. The present results indicate that variations in the expression of apoptotic proteins are related to malignancy of cutaneous MCTs in dogs.

Background -Mast cell tumours (MCTs) constitute almost 25% of cutaneous neoplasms in dogs. Their biological behaviour is predicted using histopathological grading which is based on several subjective criteria that are vulnerable to intra-and interobserver variability. To improve the prediction of the biological behaviour, several complementary markers have been studied. The integrity of the extracellular matrix (ECM) may play a protective role against tumoral progression, and favour cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastases when altered.Hypothesis/Objectives -To evaluate the quantification of collagen and elastic fibres as prognostic markers for MCTs.Animals -Thirty-eight random cases of canine cutaneous MCT surgically treated with wide margins were included.Methods and materials -Intratumoral collagen and elastic fibres were identified and quantified on histological sections stained with Masson's trichrome, Picrosirius red and Verhoeff; the results were compared with histopathological grades, mortality due to the disease and postsurgical survival.Results -Morphometric analysis revealed a significant relationship between histopathological grade and intratumoral collagen index (CoI). In addition, the CoI was considered an independent indicator for mortality and postsurgical survival.Conclusions and clinical importance -These results support the importance of the CoI in the grading and prognosis of MCTs, suggesting that preservation and/or synthesis of collagen have the potential to become targets for MCT therapeutics.