Gastrointestinal tumors observed in nonhuman primates at the German primate center

Abstract

Twenty-six gastrointestinal tumors were observed in twenty-three nonhuman primates during routine necropsies at the German Primate Center, Göttingen. The majority (15 cases) were colorectal mucoid adenocarcinomas in cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus), which in two animals were associated with gastric adenomas. Three cases of small intestinal mucoid adenocarcinomas occurred in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). One colonic leiomyoma was observed in a dwarf galago (Galagoides demidovii) and another one in a cotton top tamarin. Singular findings were a tubular adeno-carcinoma of the ileo-caecal valve in a saddle-backed tamarin (Saguinus fuscicollis) and a lymphosarcoma of jejunum, ileum, and colon in another saddle-backed tamarin. Multiple tubular adeno-carcinomas of the colonic diverticles occurred in an aged rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). The findings are discussed in comparison to the situation in man.

Neoplasia and Proliferative Disorders of Nonhuman Primates

“…Small intestinal adenocarcinomas have rarely been recorded in common marmosets both in the proximal and mid-jejunum (Chalifoux, 1990;Brack, 1998a;Miller et al, 2010) and there is a single report of a Brunner's gland adenocarcinoma in a baboon (Tsai and Giddens, 1983). The incidence of small intestinal adenocarcinomas in common marmosets has been reported to be quite high in one colony and appears to have a site predilection for the proximal jejunum (Miller et al, 2010) (Figure 6.2).…”

“…Rare cases of adenocarcinoma of the small intestine have also been recorded in the rhesus macaque (Fanton et al, 1984). Adenocarcinoma of the ileum has been recorded in the saddle backed tamarin (Brack, 1988(Brack, , 1998a. Intestinal stromal tumors have also been rarely recognized in the small intestine and have been causally linked to infection with retroperitoneal fibromatosis herpesvirus (Bielefeldt-Ohmann et al, 2005).…”

Immunohistochemical and morphological features of a small bowel leiomyoma in a black crested macaque (Macaca nigra)

“…Other study described carcinomas in 2 rhesus macaques ( M. mulatta ) and 4 common marmosets [15]. Regarding to leiomyoma in non-human primates, some research have described their findings at gastrointestinal level in dwarf galagos ( Galagoides demidovi i) and cotton-tap tamarins ( Saguinus oedipu s) [13]. A research conducted in two populations of Captive Rhesus Macaques ( Macaca mulatta ), one leyomioma in stomach was differenced from 127 gastrointestinal diagnosed tumors [1].…”

“…Although described in human [12] and other non-human primates such as dwarf galagos ( Galagoides demidovii ) and cotton-tap tamarins ( Saguinus oedipus ) [13], a specific case related to Macaca sp . was not found, up to date.…”

Spontaneous Rhabdomyosarcoma in a Common Marmoset (<i>Callithrix jacchus</i>)

“…With the benefits of its high fertility rate and small size (250–500 grams in adulthood), the common marmoset is now widely used in various research fields, including toxicology 1 . However, information about the background pathology of this species is scarce 2 , 3 , and there have been only a few reports of spontaneous neoplasms, such as uterine adenocarcinoma 4 , small intestine carcinoma 5 , 6 , 7 , bronchial adenocarcinoma 8 and nephroblastoma 9 .…”