Canine And Feline Cutaneous Lymphocytosis: Reactive Process Or Indolent Neoplastic Disease?
December 2021
cutaneous lymphocytosis alopecia erythema scales dermal infiltrate lymphocytes CD3+ infiltrate polyclonal lymphocytes CD20+ lymphocytes BCR clonal rearrangements TCR clonal rearrangements hair loss skin redness skin scales skin infiltrate immune cells T cells B cells B cell receptor clonal rearrangements T cell receptor clonal rearrangements
TLDR Cats likely have a reactive skin condition, while dogs may have a more complex, possibly cancerous one.
The study investigates cutaneous lymphocytosis (CL) in 19 cats and 10 dogs, focusing on its clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical characteristics to determine whether it is a reactive process or an indolent neoplastic disease. In both species, common symptoms included alopecia, erythema, and scales, with a dermal infiltrate of small to medium-sized lymphocytes. Cats consistently showed a CD3+ infiltrate and polyclonal nature, leading to prolonged survival (median overall survival=1080 days), suggesting a reactive nature. In contrast, dogs exhibited a mixture of CD3+ and CD20+ lymphocytes, with clonal rearrangements and a more variable clinical course, indicating a potentially different underlying pathology.
