Canine Hepatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma: An Immunohistochemical and Electron Microscopic Study

Abstract

Abstract. Ten dogs with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the liver were selected for inclusion in the study. Clinical signs were anorexia (7), vomiting (5), polydipsia/polyuria (3), icterus (2), lethargy (2), weight loss (2), paresis (1), ataxia (1), weakness (1), collapse (1), and urinary tract infection (1). Hematologic and biochemical abnormalities included anemia (2/8), leukocytosis (4/8), high liver enzyme activity (serum alkaline phosphatase, 7/9; alanine transaminase, 7/9; aspartate transaminase, 8/9), and high total bilirubin (6/9). Grossly, the tumors were diffuse, involving all liver lobes in six dogs, and two dogs had various-sized nodules in addition to diffuse involvement. Histologically, there were eight tumors with solid or trabecular pattern (group A), one tumor with cords or rows of neoplastic cells (group B), and one tumor with multiple rosette-like structures (group C). Immunohistochemical studies revealed that all 10 neoplasms were positive for at least one of the endocrine markers used: neuron-specific enolase (NSE; 8/10), synaptophysin (5/10), and chromogranin-A (3/10). A panel of NSE, chromagranin-A, and synaptophysin detected 100% of the tumors in our series. Electron microscopy confirmed the diagnosis by the presence of intracytoplasmic neurosecretory granules in the two examined cases. Our results show that neuroendocrine markers commonly used in humans can be used for the diagnosis of hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma in dogs, preferably a panel of synaptophysin, chromagranin-A, and NSE because chromogranin-A alone is not as useful in dogs as in humans.

Keratin 19 marks poor differentiation and a more aggressive behaviour in canine and human hepatocellular tumours

“…All the sections (4 μm) were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (HE) for histological determination. To exclude hepatic carcinoids in this study, the following neuro-endocrine differentiation markers were used; chromogranin-A, neuron-specific enolase, and synaptophysin, data not shown [41-43]. …”

Primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the gallbladder in a dog

“…Neoplasia appeared to be focally infiltrating with metastasis into lymphatic vessels. Immunohistochemical investigations using NSE and Chromogranin A were strongly positive, demonstrating the neuroendocrine origin of the tumor (Patnaik et al 2005). …”

A Feline Case of Hepatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma with Gastrin Immunoreactivity

“…In dogs and cats, the case reports concerning these tumors have been limited. Previously, neuroendocrine carcinomas were found in several organs including the intestines [6, 10, 13], skin [4, 7], nasal cavity [11], bile duct [5], gallbladder [5] and liver [2, 5, 8, 9]. Moreover, hepatic neuroendocrine carcinomas have been very rare in the cats.…”