The morphology and behavior of feline cutaneous mastocytomas

Correlation of histopathology with the behavior of cutaneous mastocytomas in 85 cats revealed two distinct histologic subtypes which were predictive of biologic behavior. The first subtype comprised 65 cats of various breeds which had solitary, discrete, dermal tumors composed of slightly atypical mast cells. Most tumors in this group were histologically and behaviorally benign. However, seven solitary tumors with marked anisocytosis and mitotic activity recurred or spread to other sites within 2 to 3 months. The second subtype occurred in 18 cats which had discrete subcutaneous nodules composed primarily of histiocyte-like cells with equivocal cytoplasmic granularity after staining with toluidine blue. They were identified as mast cells by electron microscopy. Seventeen of the 18 affected cats were Siamese. The histiocytic mastocytomas occurred predominantly in young cats (less than 4 years) and were usually multiple. In the four cats of this group for which we have prolonged follow-up data, the tumors underwent apparently spontaneous regression within 2 years of initial tumor detection. Two other cats had tumors which contained mixtures of mast cell and histiocytic morphologies.