Histologic and immunohistochemical characterization of thymic epithelial tumours in the dog.

Thymic epithelial tumour (TET) histologic subclassification has not been well described in the veterinary literature as it has in humans. The objective of this study was to identify and describe TET subtypes in dogs and to determine the utility of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in differentiating these subtypes. Samples were reviewed and classified according to a modified World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for human tumours of thymic origin. Signallment, presenting signs, treatment and survival data was collected from medical records. Histologic review confirmed the same subtypes as described in humans. Presence of high stage disease, pleomorphism, mitotic figures and capsular invasion was more common in atypical thymomas and thymic carcinomas than in thymomas. IHC was performed for GLUT-1, CD5, CD117 and CK8/18; however, this was not useful in classifying the tumours.