Cutaneous spindle cell tumors with features of peripheral nerve sheath tumors and concurrent cardiac involvement: neurofibromatosis type 1–like presentation in a Labrador Retriever dog

Abstract

An 8-y-old intact male Labrador Retriever dog developed cutaneous masses over the entire body. On histologic evaluation, the masses were composed of bundles of fusiform neoplastic cells arranged around adnexa, with mild atypia and no mitoses, consistent with peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs). Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for vimentin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and S100, confirming their perineurial origin. The dog was euthanized because of deteriorating clinical signs. In addition to the cutaneous masses, a cardiac mass was identified at postmortem examination. The histopathologic and immunohistochemical features of the cardiac mass were similar to those of the cutaneous masses. To our knowledge, the combination of multiple cutaneous masses with features of PNSTs and a concurrent cardiac lesion has not been reported previously in a dog. We suggest “neurofibromatosis type 1–like” presentation for this unique combination of cutaneous and cardiac masses. Further studies are required to investigate the etiopathogenesis of this condition and explore its genetic background.