Ocular squamous cell carcinoma in cattle: clinicopathological and prognostic considerations

Ocular and periocular neoplasms in cattle are of great clinical and economic significance, with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) being the most prevalent. The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence of neoplasms in these regions in cattle from the Agreste region of Pernambuco by evaluating 45 cases (25 retrospective and 20 prospective), including clinical, epidemiological, and morphological data. SCC was the most frequent tumor (n = 43), with one case of papilloma also observed. In addition, one ocular dermoid, a non-neoplastic lesion, was identified. SCC was mainly located in the third eyelid, with lesions smaller than 3 cm, exclusively affecting adult females of dairy breeds. Microscopically, according to a multifactorial classification system, grade 1 tumors were predominant. The presence of multinucleated and basal cells was noted in neoplasms with relatively aggressive biological behavior. In the prospective cases, clinical progression could be followed, with records of recurrence and economic losses for farmers. Neoplasms larger than 3 cm were associated with relatively poor biological behavior, suggesting the importance of early clinical diagnosis for prognosis. The results reinforce the relevance of incorporating epidemiological, clinical, and morphological factors into lesion staging, aiming to improve the grading system used in this study for application to ocular carcinomas in cattle.