Primary Liver Tumours
Hepatocytic
- more in dogs and cats
Gross
- can be difficult to distinguish grossly from adenomas
- usually one single large mass and additional smaller masses (intrahepatic metastases)
- may have features of malignancy such as internal necrosis and haemorrhage
Microscopically
- can be very variable appearing as sheets or cords of neoplastic cells
- cells generally smaller with a higher nucleus to cytoplasmic ratio
Cholangiocellular - bile duct
- more common than adenoma
- reported in all species (mostly dogs and cats)
Gross
- usually multiple whitish umbilicated nodules that are present diffusely throughout the liver
- actually look as though they were secondary tumours
- firm on cut surface
- due to fibrosis
Microscopically
- distinctly adenocarcinomatous
- ductal and acinar proliferation in abundant fibrous tissue
- sometimes papillary formations
Secondary Liver Tumours
- from a variety of origins