Testicular leiomyosarcoma and marked alopecia in a cryptorchid ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

Summary

A 3.5-year-old male ferret, bought as male castrated, was presented to the veterinarian with marked alopecia of back, neck, abdomen and tail, a pronounced sexual behaviour and weight loss. An inguinal mass of about 2.5 cm in diameter was diagnosed as potentially tumorous inguinal testicle by ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration. Adrenal glands and prostate were ultrasonographically unremarkable. The surgically removed cryptorchid testicle contained a greyish tumour that was histologically composed of spindle-shaped cells with elongated nuclei, embedded in a fibro-vascular stroma. Up to two mitotic figures per high power field were noted. Additionally, an interstitial cell hyperplasia and marked reactive proliferation of a collagen-rich fibrous tissue were observed. Tumour cells were positive for α-smooth muscle actin, desmin, and occasionally vimentin and S-100, leading to the diagnosis of an intratesticular leiomyosarcoma. As an adrenal-associated endocrinopathy was excluded and a complete fur recovery was observed after removal of the cryptorchid testicle the alopecia was eventually due to hormones produced by the hyperplastic interstitial (Leydig) cells.

Zusammenfassung

Ein 3,5 Jahre altes, männliches Frettchen, das als kastriertes Tier gekauft worden war, wurde dem Tierarzt mit ausgeprägter Alopezie an Rücken, Nacken, Abdomen und Schwanz, gesteigertem Sexualverhalten und Gewichtsverlust vorgestellt. Mittels Ultraschall und Feinnadelaspiration wurde eine inguinale Umfangsvermehrung von etwa 2,5 cm Durchmesser als möglicherweise tumorös veränderter inguinaler Hoden diagnostiziert. Nebennieren und Prostata waren ultrasonographisch unauffällig. In dem chirurgisch entfernten kryptorchiden Hoden wurde ein gräulicher Tumor festgestellt, der histologisch spindelförmige Tumorzellen mit länglichen Zellkernen, eingebettet in ein fibrovaskuläres Stroma aufwies. Pro High Power Field waren bis zu zwei Mitosefiguren nachweisbar. Darüber hinaus fanden sich eine Hyperplasie der Leydig-Zellen sowie eine ausgeprägte reaktive Proliferation eines kollagenreichen Bindegewebes. Die Tumorzellen waren positiv für α-smooth Muscle Actin, Desmin und vereinzelt für Vimentin und S-100. Dies führte zur Diagnose eines intratestikulären Leiomyosarkoms. Da eine nebennierenassoziierte Endokrinopathie ausgeschlossen wurde und sich das Fellwachstum des Tieres nach Entfernung des kryptorchiden Hodens vollständig normalisierte, könnte die Alopezie auf eine Hormonproduktion der hyperplastischen Leydig-Zellen zurückzuführen sein.

Key words

Mustelids - testicular tumour - α-smooth muscle actin - desmin

Schlüsselwörter

Musteliden - Hodentumor - α-Smooth Muscle Actin - Desmin

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