Intratumoral collagen index predicts mortality and survival in canine cutaneous mast cell tumours

Mast cell tumours (MCTs) constitute almost 25% of cutaneous neoplasms in dogs. Their biological behaviour is predicted using histopathological grading which is based on several subjective criteria that are vulnerable to intra- and interobserver variability. To improve the prediction of the biological behaviour, several complementary markers have been studied. The integrity of the extracellular matrix (ECM) may play a protective role against tumoral progression, and favour cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and metastases when altered.

To evaluate the quantification of collagen and elastic fibres as prognostic markers for MCTs.

Thirty-eight random cases of canine cutaneous MCT surgically treated with wide margins were included.

Intratumoral collagen and elastic fibres were identified and quantified on histological sections stained with Masson's trichrome, Picrosirius red and Verhoeff; the results were compared with histopathological grades, mortality due to the disease and postsurgical survival.

Morphometric analysis revealed a significant relationship between histopathological grade and intratumoral collagen index (CoI). In addition, the CoI was considered an independent indicator for mortality and postsurgical survival.

These results support the importance of the CoI in the grading and prognosis of MCTs, suggesting that preservation and/or synthesis of collagen have the potential to become targets for MCT therapeutics.