Hypertrophic osteopathy associated with a renal adenoma in a cat

Hypertrophic osteopathy is a hyperostotic syndrome of the appendicular skeleton that is most commonly associated with intrathoracic neoplasia or inflammation. The condition is rarely associated with intra-abdominal lesions. The majority of cases have occurred in dogs and human beings, with fewer cases reported in cats, horses, and other species. A 15-year-old male neutered Domestic Shorthair cat presented for swollen limbs and difficulty in ambulation. Radiographs and gross postmortem revealed severe periosteal hyperostosis of the diaphysis and metaphysis of all 4 limbs, including the humerus, radius, ulna, carpi, metacarpi, femur, tibia, tarsi, metatarsi, and phalanges. The axial skeleton was spared. Hyperostotic lesions were characterized microscopically by lamellar bony trabeculae separated by adipocytes and scant hematopoietic tissue. In several areas, fibrovascular connective tissue, woven bone, and islands of cartilage were also present. A 2.5 cm × 2.5 cm perirenal neoplasm compressed the left kidney and adrenal gland. This mass consisted of well-differentiated tubules of cuboidal epithelial cells and was most consistent with a renal tubular adenoma, because mitotic figures were rare, and no distant metastases were found. Thoracic pathology was absent. Hyperostosis was consistent with hypertrophic osteopathy secondary to the renal adenoma. The pathogenesis of hypertrophic osteopathy is uncertain, but predominant theories point to increased peripheral circulation and angiogenesis as a key initiating event. Recent literature highlights the potential role of vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor in the human condition. The mechanism by which this renal adenoma caused hypertrophic osteopathy is unknown.