Pleuropulmonary blastoma in an equine fetus

Abstract

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare biphasic tumor of children formed by mixed epithelial-and-mesenchymal elements. In this article, the authors report a pulmonary mass in an equine fetus with characteristics of PPB. A soft multicystic broad-based pleural mass was identified in the right caudal lung lobe. The mass comprised solid areas of loose mesenchyme, fenestrated by small ducts or large cystic areas lined by cuboidal epithelium. Mesenchymal elements had moderate anisocytosis, anisokaryosis, and cellular pleomorphism and were immunoreactive for vimentin. Epithelial cells lining ducts and cystic lumina were nonciliated and cuboidal with central round nuclei, minimal cellular pleomorphism, and strong immunoreactivity for cytokeratin. Pertinent characteristics in common with human PPB were the pleural-based location, the dual solid or delicate multiloculated cystic structure, the primitive mesenchymatous stroma fenestrated by well-differentiated cuboidal epithelial-lined lumina, and the occurrence during gestation.