Presumed solitary intraocular or conjunctival lymphoma in dogs and cats: 9 cases (1985-2013).

PubMed ID: 24479461

Author(s): Wiggans KT, Skorupski KA, Reilly CM, Frazier SA, Dubielzig RR, Maggs DJ. Presumed solitary intraocular or conjunctival lymphoma in dogs and cats: 9 cases (1985-2013). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2014 Feb 15;244(4):460-70. doi: 10.2460/javma.244.4.460. PMID 24479461

Journal: Journal Of The American Veterinary Medical Association, Volume 244, Issue 4, Feb 2014

OBJECTIVE To determine prevalence, reason for evaluation, treatment, and outcome for dogs and cats with presumed solitary ocular lymphoma (PSOL).

DESIGN Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS 7 dogs and 2 cats with PSOL.

PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed. Progression-free survival time (PFST) and overall survival time (OST) were determined.

RESULTS Animals with intraocular (4 dogs and 1 cat) or conjunctival (3 dogs and 1 cat) lymphoma represented 0.1% and 0.08% of patients with lymphoma evaluated at the hospital during the study period, respectively. Animals with intraocular lymphoma represented 0.19% of all patients with uveitis; animals with conjunctival lymphoma represented 0.16% of all patients with conjunctivitis. Tumors included B-cell (2 intraocular and 1 conjunctival), non-B-cell, non-T-cell (1 intraocular), and T-cell (3 conjunctival) neoplasms; immunophenotype of 2 uveal lymphomas was not determined. Treatments included enucleation (4 intraocular) and chemotherapy (3 intraocular and 2 conjunctival). All dogs with intraocular lymphoma developed neurologic signs. Lymph node metastasis was detected in 2 patients with conjunctival lymphoma. Median PFST and OST were 178 days for all animals with PSOL, dogs with PSOL, and animals with intraocular lymphoma. Median PFST and OST for animals with conjunctival lymphoma were 221 and 549 days, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated PSOL was uncommon, but should be considered a differential diagnosis for animals with uveitis or conjunctivitis. Performance of MRI and cytologic analysis of CSF and regional lymph node aspirate samples may be beneficial for such patients. Prognosis seemed to be better for animals with conjunctival lymphoma than it was for those with intraocular lymphoma.