Pheochromocytoma in Old World Primates (Macaca mulatta and Chlorocebus aethiops)

• Published in: Veterinary pathology Vol. 53; no. 6; pp. 1259 - 1263
• Main Authors: Colgin, L. M. A., Schwahn, D. J., Castillo-Alcala, F., Kiupel, M., Lewis, A. D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.11.2016
• Subjects: Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - diagnosis; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - pathology; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms - veterinary; Adrenal Glands - pathology; Animals; Cercopithecus aethiops; Female; Macaca mulatta; Male; Monkey Diseases - diagnosis; Monkey Diseases - pathology; Pheochromocytoma - diagnosis; Pheochromocytoma - pathology; Pheochromocytoma - veterinary; rhesus macaque; Chlorocebus aethiops; African green monkey; Old World primate; pheochromocytoma; adrenal gland neoplasm; Macaca mulatta; immunohistochemistry
• ISSN: 0300-9858; 1544-2217
• DOI: 10.1177/0300985816647449

Pheochromocytoma, a rarely reported adrenal gland neoplasm in Old World primates, was diagnosed in 5 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and 2 African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) from 3 research institutions. Age and sex were available for 6 primates. Two males and 4 females were affected, ranging in age from 9 to 31 years. All neoplasms were unilateral and, in the cases reporting the affected gland, 4 involved the right adrenal gland and 2 involved the left. Diagnosis was established by characteristic histologic features. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells in all cases expressed chromogranin A and met-enkephalin and were negative for melan-A and inhibin. Six of 7 tumors were positive for β-endorphin. Pulmonary metastases were present in 2 rhesus macaques and portal vein invasion in 1 African green monkey. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of malignant pheochromocytoma in Old World primates.