Intramedullary Metastatic Endometrial Adenocarcinoma in a Goat

Abstract

A 7-year-old female goat developed progressive ataxia, which progressed to sternal recumbency. Clinical examination revealed a slight elevation in the sacral spine (S1-S2), tetraparesis, perineal hypoaesthesia and absent tail and anal reflexes. Due to unresponsiveness to treatment with corticosteroids, the goat was euthanized. At necropsy, a 4.0 × 5.7 × 2.5 cm tumour mass was found in the uterine body and right uterine horn. In the cauda equina (L6‒S2), a 3 cm tumour associated with a 2 cm ventral intraosseous sacral haematoma was also found. The tumours were characterized by neoplastic proliferation of columnar epithelial cells with a predominant tubular pattern. Neoplastic cells with glandular cytoplasm stained with acid Alcian blue and periodic acid‒Schiff. Other metastases were found in the lungs, right ovary, dura mater and nerve roots of the medullary cone. Neoplastic cells were immunolabelled for cytokeratin but were negative for vimentin, and the tumour was diagnosed as metastatic endometrial tubular adenocarcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first report of intramedullary metastasis to the spinal cord of this tumour in any species except humans.

Keywords: carcinoma; small ruminants; spinal cord; uterus.