Intracoelomic anaplastic sarcoma in an intersex Madagascar tree boa (Sanzinia madagascariensis)

An adult Madagascar tree boa (Sanzinia madagascariensis) underwent coeliotomy for investigation of a coelomic mass. At surgery, a large mass originating from the peri-pancreatic adipose tissue and involving the gall bladder was removed. The snake did not recover from general anesthesia. A complete p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation 2013-01, Vol.25 (1), p.153-157
Main Authors: Sharpe, Sam, Lamm, Catherine G., Killick, Rowena
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Boidae
Disorders of Sex Development - veterinary
Fatal Outcome
Female
Male
Neoplasms, Adipose Tissue - pathology
Neoplasms, Adipose Tissue - surgery
Neoplasms, Adipose Tissue - veterinary
Sarcoma - pathology
Sarcoma - surgery
Sarcoma - veterinary
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Summary:An adult Madagascar tree boa (Sanzinia madagascariensis) underwent coeliotomy for investigation of a coelomic mass. At surgery, a large mass originating from the peri-pancreatic adipose tissue and involving the gall bladder was removed. The snake did not recover from general anesthesia. A complete postmortem was performed, and samples were submitted to the University of Glasgow for histopathology. On histological examination, the mass was composed of adipose tissue infiltrated with a poorly demarcated spindle cell neoplasm. The neoplastic cells were highly pleomorphic with abundant cytoplasm and frequent clear cytoplasmic vacuoles, suggestive of adipocyte origin. Immunohistochemical characterization of the mass was inconclusive. Metastatic neoplastic cells were present within vessels in the liver, lungs, and brain. As an incidental finding, the gonads contained both maturing ovarian follicles and seminiferous tubules with intact germinal epithelium and evidence of spermatogenesis, along with other features of male and female gonad anatomy. The current report describes a rare neoplasm in snakes within an intersex Madagascar tree boa.
ISSN:1040-6387
1943-4936
DOI:10.1177/1040638712468432