A rare case of giant panda cancer: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Issue 6 (11th November 2022) - Wang, Yunsheng
Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant cancer of the digestive system common among humans. However, it is rarely reported in wild animals. In 2018, a giant panda died in the Beijing Zoo. During subsequent histological observation of the pancreas, it was discovered that the glandular epithelial cells had lost the pancreatic acinar structure, tubular areas with obvious structure in the pancreas, and the ductal epithelium was substituted by high columnar mucus cells. Masson staining showed that there were several fibrous tissue proliferative reactions around the ductal adenocarcinoma and immunohistochemical staining revealed that CK7 and CK19 were positively expressed in the pancreatic tissue. Therefore, the pathological diagnosis indicated that the panda had PDAC. In this paper, the panda's living conditions and pathological diagnosis results are examined, with the aim of providing a reference point for the future diagnosis of wild animal tumors. Abstract : Pancreatic tissues' tumors exhibited three different situations. (A) Several glandular tubular adenocarcinoma structures could be seen in pancreatic tissue. (B) Tubular area could be seen in the pancreas, exhibiting papillary growth in the area. (C) The ductal epithelium in the pancreas was replaced by high columnar mucous cells, which showed pseudostratified columnar epithelial cells.