Abstract:
A nine-year-old intact female sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) with a six-week history of
gradual loss of body condition was found dead by the owner and presented for autopsy. Macroscopic
examination revealed an enlarged spleen and liver with the hepatic and splenic parenchyma showing
extensive infiltration with firm, white to cream-coloured nodules. The uterus showed a few small,
firm, well-demarcated, white-to-cream-coloured nodules in the uterine body. Similar nodules were
present in the mediastinum, parietal pleura, heart, and marrow cavity of the femur. Histological
analysis of the uterus revealed densely cellular neoplastic proliferations, forming nests, tubules,
and acini within an abundant fibrovascular stroma. The samples from the other tissues revealed
neoplastic cells with a similar appearance to those seen in the uterus, also forming nests and acini in
a fibrovascular stroma. Importantly, multiple neoplastic cells were also seen in the peribronchiolar
lymphatic vessels. The neoplastic cells in the uterine sections showed positive immunohistochemical
labelling for cytokeratin, as did the neoplastic cells in the sections of liver and parietal pleura,
confirming they were of epithelial origin. In addition, transmission electron microscopy of the uterus
and liver showed neoplastic cells arranged in groups surrounded by basement membranes and
interspersed with collagen fibres. Junctions were present between the cells, and junctional complexes
could be seen at some cell surfaces. This confirmed that the neoplastic cells seen in the liver sample
were the same as those seen in the uterine sample and were of epithelial origin. Thus, a diagnosis
was made of uterine adenocarcinoma with widespread metastasis. This is the first report of uterine
adenocarcinoma in a sable antelope.
