Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ are a ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ (cancer forming) proliferation of ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ, which are a type of white blood cell. Specifically, mast cells are most commonly associated with allergic reactions.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Many species can get these tumours, however they are most common in dogs.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
The underlying or inciting cause of these tumours is unknown! However, in dogs we most commonly see these tumours in the skin.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Mast cell tumours are actually the most common malignant tumour in dogs, meaning that they are prone to ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ (spreading to other sites) which can have some significant consequences.
However, one of the bigger problems with these tumours is the fact that they are made up of mast cells! Mast cells contain ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐, the main chemical that induces an allergic response. In some cases, disturbance of the mast cells in these tumours can lead to ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, where massive amounts of histamine are released. Sudden release of all that histamine can rarely trigger anaphylactic shock! So veterinarians have to be very careful when surgically removing these tumours.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
These tumours are easily diagnosed on a ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง (poking with a needle to get a sample of cells), since mast cells have a very characteristic appearance. Under the microscope, the veterinarian will be able to see lovely granules within the tumour cells. These granules are what contain the histamine!
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Surgical excision, sometimes with additional radiation treatment, are the most common methods of treatment. However, there are many different treatment types that can be used. For very aggressive tumours, consultation with a veterinary ๐จ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ (someone who specializes in tumours) is recommended, in order to develop an effective treatment plan.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Examples of skin lumps that turned out to be mast cell tumours. They can range from small little lumps to large, nasty looking things!
5-7) Examples of mast cells under the microscope! So pretty 
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 1. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-7 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributor French, Harrington, Dhein, Eastep, Medleau, Young, Latimer licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
