Lymphangiosarcoma in the Nictitating Membrane of a Horse

Abstract

A 15-year-old Haflinger gelding presented with a mass in the left nictitating membrane. Two biopsies and the excised nictitating membrane were taken at different time points as a result of reoccurrence of the mass and submitted for histopathologic evaluation. The horse was euthanized as a result of poor prognosis following the reoccurrence of the mass after surgical removal. Histologically, the mass consisted of dilated, thin-walled vascular clefts and channels, lined by flattened to cuboidal endothelial cells with moderate cellular pleomorphism. There was up to 1 mitotic figure per high power field. The channels were empty or contained few erythrocytes. In the collagen-rich stroma, few lymphocytes, focal follicular lymphoid aggregations, and marked lymphangiectasia were observed. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells stained positive for vimentin and partially positive for factor VIII-related antigen. Ultrastructural analysis revealed discontinuous endothelial lining vascular channels that partially lacked a basal membrane. Based on the histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features lymphangiosarcoma was diagnosed.