Diffuse cerebellar meningeal carcinomatosis secondary to haematogenous dissemination from an anaplastic solid mammary carcinoma was diagnosed in an old German shepherd dog suffering from seizures and rapidly progressing to stupor.
A single computed tomography cerebellar scan identified an unusual homogeneous density area that was considered to be associated with a vascular disorder, in the absence of space-occupying lesions.
At necropsy, nodular masses were observed in the mammary gland, lungs, tracheobronchial lymph nodes and adrenals.
Cerebellar leptomeninges were affected by diffuse blood effusion.
Histology showed a solid mammary tumour, characterised by anaplastic cells with a cytoplasmic keratin-positive and vimentin-negative immunoreaction.
The tumour had spread to the lungs, tracheobronchial lymph nodes and adrenals. Cerebellar leptomeninges were diffusely infiltrated by the cytokeratin-positive neoplastic cells.
Even though computed tomography scan gave no evidence of meningeal carcinomatosis, it was considered that a cerebellar vascular disorder might be present.
This was subsequently confirmed by neuropathological investigation and seen to be associated with a cerebellar leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.
Source: M. T. Mandara, F. Rossi, E. Lepri, G. Angeli (2007): Cerebellar leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in a dog. In: Journal of Small Animal Practice 48 (9), 504–507.
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