Nasal Cavity Hyperplastic and Neoplastic - Pathology

Nasal cavity carcinoma (Image sourced from Bristol Biomed Image Archive with permission)

Majority are malignant, locally invasive but do not metastasise
Usually pale, soft, fleshy or friable
May be osteoma or osteosarcoma, chondroma or chondrosarcoma, fibroma or fibrosarcoma, myxoma or myxosarcoma, haemangioma or haemangiosarcoma, adenoma or adenocarcinoma

In cats they arise mainly from nasal vestibule
In horses they originate mainly from maxillary sinus
Most common nasal tumour
- Serosanquineous or mucopurulent, odourous nasal discharge
Tissue necrosis
May cause airway obstruction or facial distortion

In horses and other species
Multiple species may be affected on one premises
Arising from olfactory cells are endemic in some parts of the world for unknown reason
May be caused by a virus?

Slowly expanding non-neoplastic mass of horses
Originates from submucosa of ethmoidal labyrinth
Either from nasal or sinusal portion of ethmoid labyrinth
Unilateral, can extend to nostrils or choanae
Rarely elsewhere in sinuses
Expands to nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx causing destruction of tissue
Micro - haemorrhage, calcification of connective tissue fibres
Aspergillus spp. may be present on the lesion
May cause epistaxis
Can recur after surgical excision
May arise subsequently to chronic inflammation

Polypoid thickening of the inflamed nasal musosa, hyperplastic epithelium
Pinkish, often pedunculated masses, round, often large and multiple proturberences into the nasal meatus
Can arise subsequently to chronic inflammation
Old polyps may becoma fibrous
May recur when excised
Necessary to distinguish from neoplasia
Common in cats, less often in dogs, also horses and sheep
Also see Progressive haematoma of horses and Nasopharyngeal polyps of cats

Test yourself with the Nasal Cavity Pathology Flashcards