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Hyalinizing Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma in Six Dogs

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Animal Population Health Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, ⁵ Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (TDO), ⁶ and Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health and Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, East Lansing, MI (MK)

Abstract

Exocrine pancreatic carcinoma is a particularly malignant neoplasm of the dog. Clinical and pathologic findings of an unusual variant of exocrine pancreatic neoplasia termed hyalinizing pancreatic adenocarcinoma were evaluated in 6 dogs. On microscopic examination, neoplasms were composed of tubules and acini of epithelial cells, with bright eosinophilic granular apical cytoplasm. Tubular lumina and tumor stroma contained abundant hyaline material that resembled amyloid. The hyaline material was not congophilic, and tumor cells and hyaline material were immunohistochemically negative for amyloid A, immunoglobulin light chains ( and ), amylin (islet amyloid polypeptide), laminin, and ₁-antitrypsin. Two patients survived longer than 15 months after diagnosis; one of these dogs was untreated and had grossly evident metastasis at the time of diagnosis. The deaths of the other 4 dogs occurred as a result of poor recovery after partial pancreatectomy or in association with other concurrent life-threatening conditions. Two dogs were diagnosed with panniculitis, a condition rarely associated with pancreatic disease. Further evaluation is needed to determine the composition and biologic significance of intratumor hyaline material. Studies that associate exocrine pancreatic carcinoma grade and histologic subtype with prognostic outcomes in the dog are warranted such that appropriate therapy can be elected.

Key words: Amyloid; carcinoma; dogs; hyaline; pancreas; neoplasia.

Request reprints from Dr. Michelle Dennis, Faculty of Veterinary Science, 425 Werombi Road, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570 (Australia). E-mail: m.dennis{at}usyd.edu.au