Tubulopapillary carcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia of the mammary gland in a cat

Abstract

Sarcomatous proliferation of spindle cells was present in the mammary gland and many metastatic sites in a 10-year-old female domestic cat with tubulopapillary carcinoma in the mammary gland. Transition from neoplastic tubular structures to spindle cells in the primary site and fascicular proliferation of the spindle cells with or without coexistance of tubulopapillary carcinoma in the primary and metastatic sites were observed. Most of spindle cells were positive for cytokeratin CAM5.2 as well as the normal luminal epithelium but not the myoepithelium. From these results, this case was diagnosed as tubulopapillary carcinoma with spindle cell metaplasia and it was clarified that neoplastic luminal epithelial cells can transform to sarcomatous appearence.