Computed Tomographic and Histopathological Characteristics of 13 Equine and 10 Feline Oral and Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinomas.
Authors: Strohmayer Carina, Klang Andrea, Kneissl Sibylle
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Computed Tomographic and Histopathological Characteristics of Equine and Feline Oral and Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinomas Squamous cell carcinoma represents the most prevalent head tumour in horses and cats, yet the relationship between its imaging appearance and biological behaviour remains poorly characterised in veterinary medicine. Strohmayer and colleagues retrospectively analysed CT and histological samples from 13 equine and 10 feline cases, applying a human malignancy grading system (grades I–IV) to evaluate cellular differentiation, keratinisation, mitotic activity, and tumour-host invasion patterns. Equine paranasal sinus lesions typically presented with mild periosteal reactions and variable cortical erosion, whilst feline maxillary tumours demonstrated markedly aggressive imaging features including severe cortical destruction and irregular periosteal proliferation; notably, these divergent CT appearances did not correlate with histological grade, with the majority of cases in both species classified as grade III. Both equine and feline tumours exhibited extensive bone invasion irrespective of grade, highlighting the locally infiltrative nature of these neoplasms. These findings suggest that CT morphology and histopathological grading provide complementary rather than redundant diagnostic information, with important implications for staging, prognosis and treatment planning—particularly regarding the need for aggressive surgical margins and the assessment of therapeutic response in cases where imaging phenotype may not reflect tumour grade.
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Practical Takeaways
- •CT imaging is valuable for characterizing SCC location and bone involvement, but histopathological grading is essential for assessing tumour aggressiveness—imaging appearance alone cannot predict prognosis
- •Equine sinonasal SCC and feline oral SCC show different radiographic patterns; horses tend to have milder periosteal reactions while cats show more severe cortical destruction, which may reflect species-specific tumour biology
- •Deep bone invasion is common in both species, suggesting that surgical planning should anticipate the need for extensive bone removal and careful assessment of resectability before treatment attempts
Key Findings
- •Equine paranasal sinus SCC showed mild periosteal reactions with variable cortical destruction, while feline maxillary SCC demonstrated severe cortical destruction and irregular periosteal reactions
- •Most cases in both species were histological grade III (n=8), with 5 cases grade IV and 2 cases grade II, indicating predominantly aggressive tumours
- •CT imaging revealed different SCC phenotypes that did not correlate with histological grade, suggesting imaging alone cannot predict tumour aggressiveness
- •Marked, extensive and deep bone invasion was observed in the majority of both equine and feline cases, indicating locally invasive disease