Primary cranial mediastinal hemangiosarcoma in a young dog

Abstract

Primary cranial mediastinal hemangiosarcomas are uncommon tumors. A 30-kg, 2-year-old, intact female German shepherd was presented for evaluation of cachexia and respiratory distress of a few days’ duration. Lateral radiographic projection of the thorax revealed significant pleural effusion. Computed tomography revealed a cranial mediastinal mass effect adjacent to the heart. On surgical exploration, a pedunculated mass attached to the esophagus, trachea, brachiocephalic trunk, left subclavian artery and cranial vena cava without attachment to the right atrium and auricular appendage was removed and debrided by use of blunt dissection and dry gauzes, respectively. Histopathology results described the cranial mediastinal mass as hemangiosarcoma. At 8 months and 5 days post-operatively, the patient died. Primary cranial mediastinal hemangiosarcomas, although a seemingly rare cause of thoracic pathology in young dogs, should be considered in the differential diagnosis for pleural effusion and soft tissue mass effect in the cranial mediastinum. This is the first case report in a dog to describe primary cranial mediastinal hemangiosarcoma.

Mediastinal Fibrosarcoma in a Dog–Case Report

“…In a recent retrospective case series of miniature schnauzers diagnosed with intrathoracic histiocytic sarcoma in which either surgery followed by Lomustine vs. Lomustine alone was pursued, the disease course was aggressive with short survival times suspected to be partly due to lack of feasibility of local treatment ( 11 ). Similarly, in a case of a primary cranial mediastinal hemangiosarcoma in a young dog, survival time was short (8 months) following surgical excision though chemotherapy was not pursued in this case ( 12 ).…”

“…Other rare diagnoses include cranial mediastinal carcinoma, such as neuroendocrine and anaplastic ( 5 ), as well as mediastinal parathyroid adenocarcinoma ( 10 ). There are few reported cases of cranial mediastinal sarcomas in dogs ( 11 , 12 ). Based on the combination of the above findings for the current case report, the final diagnosis was fibrosarcoma of the mediastinum.…”

Dorsal mediastinal haemorrhage in dogs: 4 cases (2010–2018)

“…2003, Yoon et al . 2014). Mediastinal haemorrhage in dogs has also been reported secondary to arterial rupture including spontaneous aortic dissection, aortic rupture due to Spirocerca lupi infection, brachiocephalic artery rupture due to vascular wall sclerosis and necrosis, suspected traumatic dorsal intercostal arterial rupture and in association with steroid‐responsive meningitis and arteritis (Ivoghli 1977, Mason et al .…”