What is your diagnosis? Cervical mass in a cat

Jennifer D Steinberg1, John H Keating

  • 1Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA. jennifer-steinberg@idexx.com

Insights

A cat presented with weight loss and cervical masses, initially diagnosed as hyperplasia. Further analysis revealed Reed-Sternberg-like cells, leading to a diagnosis of Hodgkin's-like lymphoma in this feline case.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Pathology
  • Oncology
  • Feline Medicine

Background:

  • Hodgkin's lymphoma is a malignancy of lymphocytes.
  • Diagnosis in cats can be challenging due to rarity and overlapping features with other lymphoid neoplasms.

Observation:

  • An 8-year-old cat exhibited weight loss, anorexia, and bilateral ventral cervical masses.
  • Cytologic and histopathologic examination revealed Reed-Sternberg-like cells within lymph node architecture effacement.
  • Immunohistochemistry showed neoplastic cells negative for CD18, CD3, CD20, CD79a, with a T-cell predominant background.

Findings:

  • The findings supported a diagnosis of Hodgkin's-like lymphoma, specifically the lymphocyte-rich subtype.
  • The presence of Reed-Sternberg-like cells is a key diagnostic indicator.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering Hodgkin's-like lymphoma in cats with suggestive clinical and cytologic findings.
  • Definitive diagnosis requires histopathology and immunohistochemistry.
  • Further research into feline Hodgkin's-like lymphoma is warranted.