Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in a cat.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Oncology
• Comparative Pathology

Background:

• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common malignancy in cats, often associated with sun exposure or chronic inflammation.
• Metastasis of SCC in cats is typically observed in regional lymph nodes and lungs.
• Primary epithelial malignancies in mesenchymal tissues like cardiac and skeletal muscle are exceedingly rare.

Observation:

• A 7-year-old Persian cat presented with progressive paraplegia, cachexia, and radiographic evidence of pulmonary and skeletal lesions.
• Post-mortem examination revealed bilateral small kidneys, lysis of the iliac crest and scapula, and cardiac abnormalities.
• Histopathological analysis confirmed squamous cell carcinoma in all affected tissues.

Findings:

• The study identified squamous cell carcinoma with apparent pulmonary origin, demonstrating unusual metastasis to cardiac and skeletal tissues in a feline patient.
• Radiographic and post-mortem findings indicated widespread neoplastic involvement, including pulmonary, skeletal, and cardiac structures.
• Histology confirmed the epithelial origin of the tumor, supporting a pulmonary primary site.

Implications:

• This case represents a potentially novel presentation of feline squamous cell carcinoma, with documented cardiac and skeletal metastases.
• The findings challenge current understandings of metastatic patterns for feline SCC, particularly regarding spread to mesenchymal tissues.
• Further research into the biology and metastatic potential of feline SCC is warranted to understand such rare occurrences.