Concurrent pulmonary adenocarcinoma and silicate pneumoconiosis in a red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa)

An adult red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) presented with concurrent pulmonary carcinoma and severe silicosis. The animal was submitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Córdoba (Spain) because of respiratory signs, and it died during clinical examination. At postmortem examination, numerous firm, whitish to yellowish nodules involving the lungs, mainly the right lobe, were found. The histopathologic study revealed numerous peribronchiolar large granulomatous lesions composed of macrophages, which showed abundant cytoplasm containing numerous birefringent crystals identified as silicates by transmission electron microscopy. An epithelial neoplasm showing papillary, acinar, and solid patterns occupied large areas of the pulmonary parenchyma. The histopathologic and immunohistochemical features were consistent with a pulmonary carcinoma. Small tumor nests were often located close to the granulomatous lesions. This is the first report of concurrent pneumoconiosis and pulmonary carcinoma in a nonhuman species.