A morphologic and immunocytochemical study of hepatic neoplasms in cats

A retrospective study was done of 47 neoplasms of the hepatic and biliary systems from 47 cats brought to The Animal Medical Center over a period of 10 years (1980 to 1989). Histologic examination of specimens taken at necropsy revealed that 87% (41/47) of the hepatic neoplasms were epithelial and 13% (6/47) were nonepithelial. Of the epithelial tumors, 25/47 (53%) were of intrahepatic bile duct origin, 9/47 (19%) were of hepatocellular origin, 5/47 (11%) involved the extrahepatic bile ducts, and 2/47 (4%) were adenocarcinomas of the gall bladder. Of the nonepithelial neoplasms, hemangiosarcomas were more common, 5/47 (11%), than leiomyosarcomas, 1/47 (2%). Multiple liver lobes were involved in 21/34 (62%) of the epithelial and all six of the nonepithelial intrahepatic neoplasms. Most of the bile duct adenocarcinomas (6/9) were predominantly characterized by acinar structures with mucin production, diffuse necrosis, and little desmoplasia. The hepatocellular carcinomas were characterized by three patterns-trabecular (five tumors), pseudoglandular pattern (two tumors), and anaplastic (one tumor). The hepatic carcinoid was characterized by various-sized groups of acinar and rosettelike structures, some with lumens, separated by thin fibrovascular stroma. The extrahepatic bile duct adenocarcinomas (4/4) were acinopapillary with moderate desmosplasia, whereas the adenocarcinomas of the gall bladder had elongated tubular structures lined by anaplastic cells and a severe desmoplastic reaction. The neuroendocrine carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct, the hemangiosarcomas, and the leiomyosarcoma had morphologic features characteristic of these neoplasms. Two of the 16 (13%) bile duct adenomas had anaplastic and precancerous changes. Residual benign components were seen in 10/15 (67%) of the biliary adenocarcinomas, 4/9 (44%) of the intrahepatic bile duct adenocarcinomas, and all of the extrahepatic bile duct adenocarcinomas and gall bladder adenocarcinomas. Results of immunohistochemical studies of the biliary neoplasms were similar to those described in studies of biliary neoplasms in human beings. Results of this study revealed that the frequency of different types of hepatic neoplasms in cats varied from that seen in dogs and human beings, but the morphologic features were comparable.