Cytology Q&A 04

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A six-year-old Golden Retriever has a rapidly growing, ill-defined mass above the left hock. The mass is subcutaneous and appears to extend circumferentially around the limb. The overlying skin is erythematous and beginning to ulcerate. An FNA is obtained (Giemsa, ×100 oil).

Question	Answer		Article
Describe and classify the cells illustrated?	Some cells are discrete, while others are in small clusters with ill-defined margins. The cells vary in shape. Some are round; others are stellate (1). Some have blunt cytoplasmic tails extending away from the nucleus (2). The cells are mesenchymal cells.		Link to Article
What criteria of malignancy are present?	Numerous criteria of malignancy are present. There is marked anisocytosis and anisokaryosis. There is a variable, but often high, nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio. The nuclear chromatin is often stippled. There are several bi- and multinucleated cells. Some cells have multiple nucleoli in a large nucleus (3).		Link to Article
Can you suggest a likely diagnosis?	The cells are mesenchymal and there are criteria of malignancy suggesting this is a sarcoma. The type of sarcoma cannot be reliably determined from cytology.		Link to Article
What would you do next?	This lesion looks aggressive clinically and cytologically and may require radical therapy. Therefore, a definitive diagnosis should be made before planning treatment and giving a prognosis. A biopsy should be taken for histological evaluation.		Link to Article