Oral Squamomelanocytic Tumour in a Dog: a Unique Biphasic Cancer

In human medicine, squamomelanocytic tumour is a malignant cutaneous neoplasm composed of closely intermingled neoplastic squamous cells and melanocytes. A multinodular gingival tumour in a 16-year-old, mixed breed neutered female dog was examined microscopically. Two populations of neoplastic cells, melanocytic and squamous epithelial cells were intermingled. The melanocytic cells were melan-A positive and cytokeratin AE1-AE3 negative and the squamous component was cytokeratin AE1-AE3 positive and melan-A negative. Bovine papillomavirus was not identified by immunohistochemistry or polymerase chain reaction. A diagnosis of squamomelanocytic tumour was made.