Carcinoid of the gallbladder in two dogs

Abstract

A carcinoid is a rare neoplasm derived from neuroendocrine cells that may arise in the hepatobiliary system. This report described two cases of carcinoid of the gallbladder in dogs, with emphasis on the clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical aspects. Case 1 was a 10-year-old female Shih Tzu, with a history of prostration and occasional episodes of diarrhea and vomiting. Case 2 was a 10-year-old male Cocker Spaniel, with a history of diarrhea and abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasonography suggested a neoplasm of the gallbladder in both cases. The dogs underwent cholecystectomy, and 10% formalin-fixed samples were sent for pathological examination. Histologically, a neoplastic proliferation of neuroendocrine cells was observed in the gallbladder submucosa of both cases. Immunohistochemical labeling for neuroendocrine antibodies, such as synaptophysin, neuron-specific enolase and chromogranin A, confirmed the diagnoses. Carcinoid of the gallbladder is a rare neoplasm in dogs, without specific clinical signs, but should be included in the differential diagnosis of lesions that affect this organ.

What is your diagnosis? Gallbladder mass from a dog

“…3,4 The intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary ductal forms have been reported with much higher frequency in dogs and cats than the extrahepatic gallbladder form (herein referred to as GB-NEC). 1,2,4,5 To the authors' knowledge, the cytologic appearance of GB-NECs has not been reported. In this case, cytologic features, including indistinct intercellular junctions, acinar formations, and bare nuclei, were suggestive of NEC, and positive staining with synaptophysin supported the diagnosis.…”

Neuroendocrine Carcinomas of the Canine Mammary Gland: Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Characteristics

“…Reagents were manually applied and immunoreactivity was visualized by incubating the slides with diaminobenzidine chromogen (DAB Substrate System, Dako, Carpinteria, CA, USA) for 3 min. Details of the antibodies against Synaptophysin (1,22,23), NSE (22,24), CD56 (24), PGP 9.5 (25,26), Chromogranin A (25,27), Estrogen Receptor -RE (28), Progesterone Receptor -PR (29), Pancitokeratin (22) and Ki67 (30), dilutions, antigen retrieval procedures and incubation times used in the immunostaining process are shown in Table 1. Normal canine mammary gland was used as an internal positive control for Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors and Pancitokeratin.…”

CT findings of bleeding from a canine gall bladder carcinoid tumour

“…3 Clinical signs of carcinoid tumours arising from the gall bladder are non-specific, including anorexia, ascites, weight loss, diarrhoea, jaundice, vomiting, abdominalgia and haematemesis. 7,8 Haemobilia and haemocholecyst due to bleeding from carcinoid tumours have been reported in rare cases. 2 It is difficult to diagnose bleeding from carcinoid tumours before surgical exploration.…”

“…Primary carcinoid tumours arising from the gall bladder are considered slow growing, and affected animals have a good prognosis if metastasis to the other organs has not occurred 3 . Clinical signs of carcinoid tumours arising from the gall bladder are non‐specific, including anorexia, ascites, weight loss, diarrhoea, jaundice, vomiting, abdominalgia and haematemesis 7,8 . Haemobilia and haemocholecyst due to bleeding from carcinoid tumours have been reported in rare cases 2 .…”

“…2 To the best of our knowledge, only 10 cases of carcinoid or neuroendocrine tumours arising from the gall bladder in dogs have been reported in the veterinary medical literature. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Therefore, there is little information regarding the symptoms and diagnosis of carcinoid tumours arising from the gall bladder in dogs.…”