Nuclear morphometry in relation to tumor grade in canine spontaneous cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

Abstract

In a retrospective study on cytological specimens from 17 dogs with histologically confirmed cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, the morphometric variables were studied and compared to tumors' nuclear grade. The morphometric parameters evaluated in this study were mean nuclear area (MNA, µm2), mean nuclear perimeter (MNP, µm), mean nuclear diameter (D mean, µm), minimum nuclear diameter (D min, µm), and maximum nuclear diameter (D max, µm). Associations between MNA, MNP, D mean, D min, and D max and tumors' grade were assessed using the ANOVA/LSD test (Statistica 6.0, StatSoft, USA) at a level of significance of P < 0.05. The result indicated an increase in the mean values of the nuclear parameters with increasing tumor grade. In the cases examined, significant differences in MNA, MNP, and D mean occurred between tumors in all grades. Besides, no significant differences in D max (between grade I-II and II-III) and D min (grade II-III) were found. In conclusion, nuclear morphometry could be used as an additional tool for differentiating nuclear grade in canine cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas.