Hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma with metastases to the lymph nodes in a sika deer (Cervus nippon yakushimae)

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 82; no. 2; pp. 193 - 196
• Main Authors: SHIBATA, Ritsu, MACHIDA, Yukino, HATAKEYAMA, Hitoshi, YOSHIMURA, Hisashi, YAMAMOTO, Masami, OCHIAI, Kazuhiko, UEMATSU, Kazuyoshi, MICHISHITA, Masaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 2020; Japan Science and Technology Agency; The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science
• Subjects: Cytokeratin; Cytoplasm; Gastrin; hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma; Leukocytes (eosinophilic); Liver; Lymph nodes; Lymphatic system; Metastases; Metastasis; Neuroendocrine tumors; Pancreas; Pathology; sika deer; Synaptophysin; Tumor cells; metastasis; hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma; sika deer
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.19-0472

A 26-year and 6-month-old male sika deer that was kept at the Showa Park, Tokyo, Japan, collapsed and died of severe disease wasting and severe tabefaction. Grossly, numerous masses, 0.3–1.0 cm diameter, were dispersed throughout the liver. The multiple masses were composed of tumor cells, which had hypochromatic nuclei and abundant faintly eosinophilic cytoplasm, arranged in nests of various sizes. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin, chromogranin A, synaptophysin and gastrin. Ultrastructurally, the cytoplasm of the tumor cells contained abundant membrane-bound electron-dense granules. A metastatic lesion was observed in the renal, hepatic and pancreatic lymph nodes. On the basis of these findings, this tumor was diagnosed as a neuroendocrine carcinoma with metastases to the lymph nodes.