Morphology, immunohistochemistry, and genetic alterations in dog astrocytomas.

Astrocytoma is one of the most common tumors of the central nervous system in animals. Of the domesticated animal species, most examples are seen in dogs, and the spectrum that has been described is quiet broad. Previous studies have revealed morphologic similarities between human and animal astrocytomas. Human astrocytomas are often associated with genetic alterations that determine the clinical behavior and therapy outcome. The purpose of this study was to further characterize astrocytomas in dogs and to determine whether there are genetic changes similar to those in the human counterpart.