Laryngeal Rhabdomyosarcoma in a dog: case report

ABSTRACT The larynx is part of the upper respiratory tract and is responsible for phonation. It allows air to pass between the pharynx and the trachea, but prevents food from entering the airways. Laryngeal neoplasms, including rhabdomyosarcomas, are uncommon in dogs. However, these tumors can trigger numerous progressive clinical signs related to respiratory difficulty and altered phonation. The diagnosis of laryngeal cancer should be made based on the history and symptoms of the patient, combined with complementary tests. The treatment of choice is surgical excision, combined or not with chemotherapy. In view of the low incidence of laryngeal cancer, the objective of the present work was to describe a case of laryngeal rhabdomyosarcoma detected during necropsy of an adult dog and diagnosed by histopathology, in addition to raising awareness about the importance of the diagnosis and early therapy for the quality of life and survival of affected patients. The results showed that the location of the tumor impaired its early diagnosis. Although malignant, the animal did not develop metastases as has been described in the literature.

摘要 喉（larynx）属于上呼吸道（upper respiratory tract），负责发声功能。它可使空气在咽（pharynx）与气管（trachea）之间流通，同时防止食物进入气道。喉肿瘤（laryngeal neoplasms），包括横纹肌肉瘤（rhabdomyosarcomas），在犬类中较为罕见。但此类肿瘤可引发诸多与呼吸困难及发声异常相关的进行性临床症状。喉癌（laryngeal cancer）的诊断需结合患者病史与症状，并辅以辅助检查。首选治疗方案为手术切除，可联合或不联合化疗。鉴于喉癌发病率较低，本研究的目的在于描述1例成年犬尸检（necropsy）中发现的、经组织病理学（histopathology）确诊的喉横纹肌肉瘤病例，同时呼吁关注诊断与早期治疗对患病动物生存质量及生存期的重要性。研究结果显示，该肿瘤的生长位置阻碍了其早期诊断。尽管为恶性肿瘤，但该动物并未出现文献中所报道的转移情况。