Presumptive primary intrathoracic mast cell tumours in two dogs

BACKGROUND: Mast cell tumours are the most common cutaneous neoplasms in dogs. Other primary sites include visceral organs, such as the gastrointestinal tract, liver, or spleen, and the oral cavity. Frequent metastatic sites include the local lymph nodes, skin, spleen, liver and bone marrow. The thorax is rarely affected by metastatic disease and no such cases have been reported in dogs. Mast cell tumours are usually not considered as a differential diagnosis for lung and intrathoracic chest wall masses in dogs. Chest wall tumours can be primary tumours of the ribs and sternum, an invasion of adjacent tumours into the chest wall, and metastasis from distant tumours. CASES PRESENTATION: A German Shepherd dog presented with a history of persistent cough and a large mass involving the thoracic wall and a small round pulmonary mass. The dog had a history of mammary tumours that were surgically excised. Thoracoscopy revealed a thoracic wall mass involving the internal intercostal muscle and a small mass in the left cranial lung lobe. Cytology and histopathology of the intrathoracic mass confirmed the large mass as a mast cell tumour and the small mass as a carcinoma. Cytology of the sternal lymph nodes showed no involvement. The dog received toceranib for 3 months, which failed to alleviate persistent cough. Radiology indicated that the large mass had a partial response to toceranib. The dog was euthanasied. A Maltese dog presented with a history of chronic regurgitation and cough, and a large mass involving the left caudal lung lobe. Cytology and histopathology of mass confirmed a mast cell tumour. The dog received toceranib for 2 months. Radiology indicated that the large mass had no response to toceranib. The dog was euthanasied. Confirmation of lungs mast cell tumour and the absence of any other Mast cell tumour was achieved by postmortem examination. CONCLUSIONS: The cases discussed are two unusual presentations of intrathoracic mast cell tumours, in the absence of cutaneous mast cell tumours, in dogs.