Multiple cutaneous ganglioneuromas in a dog

Abstract

A 3-year-old male Labrador retriever dog was presented with multifocal small cutaneous nodules, distributed mainly over the thoracic wall, the flank and the scrotum. The dog was otherwise in good health and had no significant past medical history. Radio- and sonographic examination revealed no evidence of internal tumours, including endocrine tumours. Histological examination of two excised samples revealed round, non-ulcerated nodules in the superficial corium, characterized by two different neoplastic cell components and mild inflammation. The first tumour cell population showed histomorphological characteristics of mature ganglion cells; the second featured small, spindle-shaped tumour cells with scant cytoplasm. Both neoplastic cell components expressed vimentin, neurofilament protein, pan-neuronal neurofilament, amyloid-precursor protein and chromogranin A. In addition, the spindle-shaped tumour cells were positive for 2', 3'-cyclicnucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase. The findings had many histological and immunohistochemical features in common with primary cutaneous ganglioneuromas in humans, enabling the canine tumours to be also classified as multiple cutaneous ganglioneuromas.