Ocular and eyelid neoplasia in birds: 15 cases (1982–2011)

Abstract

Ocular and eyelid lesions are a common finding in birds; however, avian ocular and eyelid neoplasia is seldom reported. The purpose of this study was to record clinical and pathological data from cases of avian ocular neoplasia submitted to the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin over a 29-year period. A total of 284 avian ocular pathology cases from 1982 to 2011 were reviewed. Out of those, 15 were diagnosed with nine different ocular tumors (5.2%). Metastatic cancer to the globe was diagnosed in seven cases. Six of the metastatic cancers were diagnosed as lymphoma and one as papillary cystic carcinoma of respiratory epithelial origin, presumably originating in the sinus. Primary tumors were diagnosed in eight cases including three tumors of epithelial origin (undifferentiated carcinoma, multicystic adenoma, and pigmented iridociliary adenoma). A teratoid medulloepithelioma and a ganglioneuroma were presumptively diagnosed. A round cell tumor and squamous cell carcinoma were detected in conjunctival samples, and a teratoma was diagnosed from an episcleral sample.

Ocular teratoid medulloepithelioma in a northern red-shouldered macaw: case report and literature review

“…5) and NSE (Fig. 6) in our case was consistent with that seen in medulloepitheliomas in an African grey parrot, 23 cockatiels, 4 llama, 26 horses, 17 and humans. 11 In contrast, GFAP was negative in another llama, 10 and both GFAP and NSE were negative in a dog.…”

“…16 Unlike the reports of medulloepitheliomas affecting llamas, 10,26 horses, 17 and dogs, 1 tissues were variably positive for pancytokeratin immunolabeling in our case, similar to reports in some human studies of patchy areas of positive immunolabeling. 16 There are no reports of pancytokeratin immunohistochemistry in other cases of medulloepithelioma in birds, 4,23,25 to our knowledge.…”

“…Reported tumors include undifferentiated carcinomas, melanocytic tumors, intraocular osteosarcomas, multicystic adenomas, pigmented iridociliary adenomas, ganglioneuromas, and teratoid medulloepitheliomas. 23…”

“…10,12,14,15 Ocular forms are uncommon in birds, and all reports of medulloepithelioma in avian patients are from psittacine birds, specifically cockatiels and African Grey parrots. 4,23,25…”

Conjunctival mucinous adenocarcinoma in an ostrich (Struthio camelus)

“…While no bacterial organisms were identified in the present case (at the time of necropsy), gram‐positive cocci were identified histologically and Streptococcus species cultured from the cockatoo . A recent review of ocular and eyelid neoplasia diagnoses, from a specialist ocular pathology service over a 29‐year period, found only 5.2% of avian cases were neoplastic . Almost half were metastatic spread while primary tumors of the conjunctiva were limited to a single squamous cell carcinoma in an African grey parrot ( Psittacus erithacus ).…”