Retroperitoneal extraosseous peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor in a Formosan serow: case report and literature review

Abstract

A 10-y-old female captive Formosan serow ( Capricornis swinhoei) was inactive and was azotemic. An autopsy was performed following her death, and multiple irregularly shaped, white-to-gray masses of 0.5–2 cm diameter were noted on both ureters, the left adrenal gland, urinary bladder, and uterus. Microscopically, organs were effaced by a poorly demarcated, highly infiltrative neoplasm, composed of neoplastic round cells arranged in islands, sheets, or nests with occasional rosette formation. The neoplastic cells were small: ≤2 red blood cell (≤ 15 μm) diameter. The neoplastic cells were positive for CD56, CK, FLI-1, and NSE, but negative for desmin, GFAP, melan A, NF, PAX-8, S100, synaptophysin, and vimentin. Therefore, the diagnosis of retroperitoneal extraosseous peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET) was made. pPNET with FLI-1 expression has not been reported previously in animals, to our knowledge.