Dietz J, Heckers K O, Aupperle H, Pees M
LABOKLIN GmbH & Co. KG, Labor für klinische Diagnostik, Steubenstr. 4, Bad Kissingen, Germany.
LABOKLIN GmbH & Co. KG, Labor für klinische Diagnostik, Steubenstr. 4, Bad Kissingen, Germany.
J Comp Pathol. 2016 Jul;155(1):76-87. doi: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2016.05.009. Epub 2016 Jun 17.
Cutaneous and subcutaneous soft tissue tumours have been rarely described in detail in snakes. Several malignant entities show strikingly similar histological patterns and therefore the term soft tissue sarcoma (STS) has become a standard histopathological diagnosis. The present study characterizes soft tissue tumours in 33 snakes. Samples included 29 surgically excised masses and four carcasses. Additionally, six animals were humanely destroyed and submitted for necropsy examination following tumour recurrence. Benign neoplasms (n = 8) were described as lipomas of varying differentiation. Recurrence was observed in two of five snakes in which the clinical course was recorded. Malignant neoplasms (n = 25) were diagnosed as STS and graded according to a three-point system previously applied to canine STS. Five (20%) of the primary tumours were classified as grade 1, eleven (44%) as grade 2 and nine (36%) as grade 3 sarcomas. Clinically, recurrence of STS was observed in 11 of 17 cases with available follow-up information. Pathologically, multiple cutaneous metastases were found in one grass snake (Natrix natrix), while visceral metastases were observed in one carpet python (Morelia spilota) and two corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus). Metastatic risk appears to increase with histological grade. Surgical excision generally represents the current therapy of choice for STS. This study includes the first reports of conventional lipomas in a ribbon snake (Thamnophis radix), angiolipomas in a black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) and a corn snake as well as of STS in a Jamaican boa (Epicrates subflavus), emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus), grass snake (N. natrix), African house snake (Lamprophis fuliginosus), California kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae) and common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis).
皮肤和皮下软组织肿瘤在蛇类中鲜有详细描述。几种恶性肿瘤显示出惊人相似的组织学模式，因此软组织肉瘤（STS）这一术语已成为标准的组织病理学诊断。本研究对33条蛇的软组织肿瘤进行了特征描述。样本包括29个手术切除的肿块和4具尸体。此外，6只动物在肿瘤复发后被人道处死并进行尸检。良性肿瘤（n = 8）被描述为不同分化程度的脂肪瘤。在记录了临床病程的5条蛇中，有2条观察到复发。恶性肿瘤（n = 25）被诊断为STS，并根据先前应用于犬类STS的三分制进行分级。5个（20%）原发性肿瘤被分类为1级，11个（44%）为2级，9个（36%）为3级肉瘤。临床上，在有随访信息的17例病例中，有11例观察到STS复发。病理上，在1条草蛇（Natrix natrix）中发现多处皮肤转移，在1条地毯蟒（Morelia spilota）和2条玉米蛇（Pantherophis guttatus）中观察到内脏转移。转移风险似乎随着组织学分级的增加而增加。手术切除通常是目前STS的首选治疗方法。本研究首次报告了带纹蛇（Thamnophis radix）中的传统脂肪瘤、黑头蟒（Aspidites melanocephalus）和玉米蛇中的血管脂肪瘤，以及牙买加蟒（Epicrates subflavus）、翠绿树蚺（Corallus caninus）、草蛇（N. natrix）、非洲家蛇（Lamprophis fuliginosus）、加州王蛇（Lampropeltis getula californiae）和东部袜带蛇（Thamnophis sirtalis）中的STS。
