Histiocytic sarcoma of the scrotum in a rat

A 225-day-old male fourth generation rat from a developing recombinant inbred line (Lewis x Brown Norway) had a bilaterally symmetrical enlargement of the scrotum. Palpation indicated the presence of a firm lobulated mass extending from the tip of the scrotum to the abdominal wall. Bilateral nodular masses totally occupied the scrotal sacs, surrounded the testicles, and extended along the spermatic cords into the abdominal cavity. Tumor nodules also were present in the intestinal mesentery, omentum, mesenteric lymph nodes, pancreas, and lung. Histologically, the neoplasm presented a spectrum of characteristics varying from that of a granuloma with giant cells to a diffuse proliferation of spindle-shaped mononuclear cells.