Published in Scientific Works. Series C. Veterinary Medicine, Vol. LXIX, Issue 1
Written by Adina-Mihaela PÎRVU, George-Laurențiu NICOLAE, Manuella MILITARU
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare malignant neoplasm arising from skeletal muscle, occurring predominately in young individuals. In dogs, is most commonly located in the urogenital tract, followed by head, neck, face, limbs and skin, mammary gland included. This article reviews the microscopic patterns, diagnostic and prognostic aspects of RMS in dogs. In veterinary medicine, the classification of RMS into subtypes is based only on histologic characteristics, with no relevance in regard of prognosis. The prognosis depends on the severity and extent of invasiveness, as well as the presence of metastases. Macroscopic aspects are variable, as well as cellular morphology and histological patterns. Immunohistochemistry is used to confirm the diagnosis, RMS being positive for vimentin, desmin, muscle and sarcomeric actin, myoglobin, myogenin and negative for cytokeratin and α-smooth muscle actin. Further investigations are needed to better understand the biological behaviour and outcomes of this tumour.
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