Metastatic Mammary Gland Adenocarcinoma in a Tiger (Panthera tigris altica)

Shin, Nam-Sik; Kwon, Soo-Wahn; Kim, Yang-Beum; Kim, Bang-Hyun; Oh, Sang-Yeon; Kim, Dae-yong

Korean Journal of Veterinary Research 2002;42(3):389-392.

Nam-Sik Shin¹, Soo-Wahn Kwon², Yang-Beum Kim², Bang-Hyun Kim¹, Sang-Yeon Oh¹, Dae-yong Kim¹

¹College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University
²Everland Zoological Garden

백호에서의 전이성 유선암종

신남식¹, 권수완², 김양범², 김방현¹, 오상연¹, 김대용¹

¹서울대학교 수의과대학, 농생명공학부
²에버랜드 동물원

Abstract

A 17-year-old female tiger (Panthera tigris altica) was found dead after suffering from continuously growing mass at the right mammary gland area. At necropsy, a firm tan mass approximately 25 cm in diameter was noted at the ventral abdomen. The mass was not fixed to the adjacent tissue and mottled tan to red on cut sections. Chains of similar nodules ranging from 2 to 5 cm in diameter were also present along the right mammary glands region. Histologically, the neoplastic masses consisted of lobules that were filled with pleomorphic neoplastic cells and separated by fibrious conntective tissue. The neoplastic cells have hyperchromatic nuclei with prominent nucleolus and moderate amount of cytoplasm. The degree of mitosis was high. Multiple areas of necrosis, hemorrhage, mineralization and tumor emboli were also noted. Metastasis to the regional lymph nodes, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, and adrenal gland were observed. Based on the gross and histopathologic examinations, a diagnosis of lobular type metastatic mammary gland carcinoma was made.

Key Words: Tiger, mammary gland, tumor