CPB 69700 RESEARCH
SEMINAR
Sara Connolly, DVM
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Non-Thesis M.S. Program;
Major Area: Clinical Pathology
Department of Comparative Pathobiology
"A Case of
Canine Nephroblastoma”
Thurs., October 16, 2008
VPTH
112
3:30 pm
ABSTRACT:
A seven year old male neutered Boxer dog presented for evaluation of hematuria and weight loss. Physical exam revealed an abdominal mass. Initial diagnostic tests included a complete blood count, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, coagulation times, thoracic and abdominal radiographs, abdominal ultrasound, and cytology of the abdominal mass. Significant findings were a mass in the right cranial abdomen in the area of the right kidney that was cytologically consistent with carcinoma. Multiple lung nodules were observed and were presumptively interpreted as metastatic disease. Prior to surgery, an intravenous pyelogram was performed to assess renal function of the left kidney, which was adequate. An abdominal exploratory was performed to remove the mass and right kidney. Histopathologic evaluation of the mass was consistent with a nephroblastoma. Thoracic masses were not further characterized. The dog was discharged from the hospital and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Nephroblastoma is a congenital neoplasm that develops during fetal life from metanephric blastema which gives rise to both the stromal and blastemal cells observed on histopathology. The tumor is locally invasive and metastasis is expected in >50% of canine cases. Nephroblastoma is synonymous with Wilm’s tumor in humans. A recent immunohistochemical microarray study has been published that further characterized this tumor in humans. IHC is currently being done on this case to determine if canine findings are consistent with the human tumor.