Metastatic adenocarcinoma in a layer chicken flock (case report)

Abstract

In hens, spontaneous tumors of the ovary and, less frequently, of the oviduct, are common. Leiomyoma and oviduct adenocarcinoma are the most common tumors of the reproductive tract in laying hens. The present article, reports a metastatic adenocarcinoma in an 80 week old commercial layer chicken flock in second-cycle of egg production in Mazandaran province. Eight dead layer hens were referred to division of avian diseases of Amol University. On necropsy examination, the mesentery and serosal surface of the intestine was studded with grayish white nodules. The ovary contained varying sizes of multiple single to lobulated grayish white nodules. Also, ascites were seen in some cases. Tissue samples were taken and placed in 10% neutral buffered formalin. Microscopically, cuboidal neoplastic cells were arranged in acinar and tubular pattern in the serosal layer of intestine. The cells appeared as variable sized cuboidal cells with indistinct cell borders, eosinophilic granular cytoplasm, round nuclei, indistinct nucleoli and fine chromatin granules. The intestinal nodules showed neoplastic cells and structures similar to those of the ovary tumor.

Keywords

• layer chicken
• ovary
• intestine
• adenocarcinoma
• metastasis