MAST CELL NEOPLASIA IN THE GREEN IGUANA, IGUANA IGUANA.

Abstract

This case series is the first description of mast cell neoplasia in green iguanas, Iguana iguana. All iguanas were adults. Six were females, and four were males. Lesions were associated with the oral cavity in 3 of 10 cases, and on the head in 3 of 10 cases. Three of the cases had masses over the trunk; a single case had a lesion on a limb. Single masses were most common involving the face or oral cavity (6 of 10), whereas four cases with neoplasia distributed along the trunk had multiple masses. One case developed peripheral blood mastocytosis. In most neoplasms, cells contained metachromatic granules in toluidine blue-stained sections. Polymerase chain reaction identified no internal tandem duplication mutation in exon 11 of c-kit, but a mutation in exon 8 in a single case. Compared with other reptiles, green iguanas may be predisposed to development of mast cell neoplasia.