Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ง๐ -๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ -๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐ is a pretty interesting situation that can occur with lung tumours! In this syndrome, the tumour ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ฌ (spreads) to the toes, which is a pretty unusual place for metastases to end up!
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
We see this syndrome in cats!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Lung-digit syndrome starts with ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ developing in the lungs, which is a very aggressive tumour of the lung cells. Usually, this tumour forms a single, large mass in the lung tissue, that doesnโt interfere with the catโs breathing. As it grows, the tumour begins to metastasize to other locations via the bloodstream. Because the toes have many small vessels for helping the cat dissipate heat and maintain body temperature, it is thought that these small pieces of tumour may get lodged in these smaller vessels. From there, it begins to grow, causing lung-digit syndrome.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Usually, cats with lung-digit syndrome have severely swollen toes, which makes it quite painful for them to walk! If the pulmonary adenocarcinoma continues to grow, it may eventually interfere with the catโs breathing, and cause ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ (difficulty breathing), coughing or fluid in the lungs.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
To diagnose lung-digit syndrome, ultrasound or X-rays can be used to identify the primary mass within the lungs. From there, biopsies of the swollen tissue around the toes can be submitted to a pathologist, which will confirm the presence of respiratory tissue in the toes.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Unfortunately, by the time this tumour has metastasized, treatment is usually not practical. In some cases, the tumour can be removed from the lung by ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฒ, where an entire section of lung is removed. If this is not feasible, then chemotherapy can be used. However, the prognosis for these tumours is still very poor, with many animals only surviving a few more months.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) The toes of cats with lung-digit syndrome and their original lung tumour!
5-6) A couple more examples of swollen kitty toes from lung-digit syndrome.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-2 ยฉ University of Calgary Diagnostic Services Unit.
Photos 3-6 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Morris, Brown, Rech licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
