Spinal cord compression caused by melanoma in brown coat horse

ABSTRACT This paper describes a case of malignant melanoma in brown coat horse, which had ataxia and proprioceptive deficits in hind limbs, progressing to permanent decubitus. The animal was euthanized and the final diagnosis was based on necropsy and histopathology. At necropsy different masses and / or nodules in skeletal muscle, bone, abdominal cavity, lungs, heart, spleen, liver, adrenal gland, lymph nodes, brain and cerebellum were found. Neurological clinical signs presented by the animal were justified by spinal cord compression caused by melanocytic mass invading the medullary canal of the flow segment of the thoracic spine (between 15th and 18th thoracic vertebrae). This is the first case report of melanoma leading to spinal cord compression in a non-gray horse. Thus, it is important to include this neoplasm in the differential diagnosis list of cutaneous and subcutaneous masses and / or nodules, and in suspected cases of spinal cord compression in horses of any coat.

摘要：本文报道1例棕毛马的恶性黑色素瘤（malignant melanoma）病例。该患马后肢出现共济失调与本体感觉缺陷，病情进展为永久性卧地。最终对该动物实施安乐死，最终诊断基于尸体剖检（necropsy）与组织病理学（histopathology）结果。剖检可见其骨骼肌、骨骼、腹腔、肺脏、心脏、脾脏、肝脏、肾上腺、淋巴结、脑及小脑存在多发肿块和/或结节。该患马的神经系统临床症状，由侵入胸椎节段（第15至18胸椎）髓管（medullary canal）的黑色素细胞肿块引发的脊髓压迫（spinal cord compression）所致。本研究为首例非灰毛马黑色素瘤导致脊髓压迫的病例报告。因此，在针对任意被毛颜色马的皮肤、皮下肿块和/或结节，以及疑似脊髓压迫病例的鉴别诊断列表中，均需纳入该肿瘤。