Abordagem citopatológica de linfoma em terceira pálpebra de felino: relato de caso

Abstract

Lymphoma consists of an uncontrolled regulation of lymphocytes and is one of the malignant neoplasms that most affects felines. In Brazil, there is a high incidence due to its association with the feline leukemia virus (FeLV), or which can mutate the oncogene in the host's DNA, predisposing to some types of lymphoma. Diagnostic suspicion, associated with clinical evaluation, can be carried out more easily in mediastinal lymphomas, in FeLV-positive young cats, or alimentary lymphomas in elderly cats, generally without association with the virus. Large cell or high-grade lymphomas can be accurately revealed through cytopathological analysis, however small cell or low-grade lymphomas require histopathological evaluation, immunohistochemistry and/or polymerase chain evidence for diagnostic confirmation. Lymphoma treatment generally consists of chemotherapy. Survival may vary depending on the type of lymphoma, but does not exceed days to weeks or, when treated, months to a few years. This work describes the case of a feline, female, FeLV positive, who presented neurological clinical signs and increase/protrusion of the third call in the right eye, in addition to starting later with signs of paresis in the pelvic limbs and aggression. Fine needle aspiration cytology and myelography were performed, which allowed identifying the presence, respectively, of lymphoma in the right third and a mass in the thoracolumbar region. Thus, a specific chemotherapy protocol was initiated for lymphoma that affects the nervous system. With this report, it can be concluded that the cytopathological analysis was essential to establish a quick diagnosis and start treatment, as well as to bring quality and length of life to the animal, which had a poor prognosis due to the association of FeLV and lymphoma.