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Nerve sheath: neoplasia
Introduction
- Peripheral nerve tumors are rare in the cat.
- Various names used, but accepted nomenclature is either benign or malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (PNST).
- Benign PNST (1.8% of feline skin and subcutaneous neoplasms) occur more often on head and neck.
- Malignant PNST occur more often on head and forelimb.
- Other sites affected also, including internal organs
- Signs:either dermal nodular mass or evidence of peripheral nerve deficits and /or muscle atrophy.
- Diagnosis:signs, nerve biopsy Biopsy: nerve.
- Treatment:Surgical excision of tumor.
- Prognosis:Depends on surgical considerations, but often guarded due to inaccessibility and late diagnosis with nerve root involvement.
Presenting signs
- Gradual onset.
- Vague lameness of one limb, progressing over weeks with reduced strength and muscle atrophy.
- May invade spinal cord and cause paresis of other limbs.
- Cauda equina tumors may cause fecal or urinary incontinence.
- Blindness has been reported in an invasive malignant PNST of the head.
- Abdominal mass is occasionally the presentation.
- Occasionally see limb mutilation.
- Sometimes pain on manipulation.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- No known specific etiological factors.
- Often FeLV negative FeLV test.
- Mutation in the neu oncogene has been detected in a feline PNST.
Pathophysiology
- Nerve sheath neoplastic transformation.
- Uncontrolled proliferation of ensheathing cells compromises nerve function.
- Target organ function reduced or lost.
- Neurogenic muscle atrophy can be rapid and marked, more so than disuse atrophy.
- Local spread along nerve to spinal cord may compress cord and compromise function in other limbs.
- Can be extradural, or intradural and extramedullary.
- Often middle aged to older cats.
- Malignant PNST usually in older cats.
- Metastasis of these tumors is not well documented.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Stoica G, Tasca S I & Kim H T (2001) Point mutation of neu oncogene in animal peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Vet Pathol 38 (6), 679-688 PubMed.
- Watrous B J, Lipscomb T P & Heidel J R et al (1999) Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a cat. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 40 (6), 638-640 PubMed.
- Levy M S, Maudlin G, Kapatkin A S et al (1997) Nonlymphoid vertebral canal tumors in cats: 11 cases (1987-1995). J Am Vet Med Assoc 210 (5), 663-664 PubMed.
- Kalat M, Mayr B, Schleger W et al (1990) Trisomy D2 in a feline neurofibroma. Res Vet Sci 48 (2), 256 PubMed.
- Ruben J M (1983) Neurofibrosarcoma in a 19-year-old cat. Vet Rec 113 (6), 135 PubMed.
Other sources of information
- Goldschmidt M H & Hendrick M J (2002) Chapter 2. Tumors of the skin and soft tissues. In: Meuten DJ (Ed.) Tumors in Domestic Animals. 4th Edn. Iowa State Press.
- Goldschmidt M H & Shofer F S (1992) Skin tumors of the dog & cat. Pergamon Press. Oxford, UK.
- Fenner W R (1994) Chapter 45. Diseases of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. In: Sherding RG (Ed) The cat - diseases and clinical management. Churchill-Livingstone. New York.Pp1507-1568.
- Gross T L, Ihrke P J & Walder E J (1992) Veterinary dermatopathology - A macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of canine and feline skin disease. Mosby Year Book. London.