Volume 68 (2018) Issue: 2018 No#3

Quantitative morphology as a prognostic factor in feline spontaneous cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

Author(s): Simeonov Radostin

Keywords:nuclear morphometry, feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, metastases, prognosis.

In a study on cytological specimens from 30 cats with histologically confirmed cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, the morphometric variables mean nuclear area (MNA, µm2), mean nuclear perimeter (MNP, µm), mean nuclear diameter (D mean, µm), minimum nuclear diameter (D min, µm) and maximum nuclear diameter (D max, µm) were studied and compared to metastases in regional lymph nodes. The mean values of these parameters were significantly greater in cats with lymph node metastases compared to parameters of tumour cells from cats which were lymph node-negative. A significant positive correlation was observed between all studied morphometric parameters and metastases in the regional lymph nodes. In conclusion, computer-assisted nuclear morphometry could be used as a prognostic method in the diagnosis of spontaneous feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas.