Conjunctival Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Description of the Disease and Clinical Picture
Squamous cell carcinoma can develop on the conjunctiva and represents a malignant neoplasm that is fast-growing and highly invasive, prone to metastasis. This tumor usually starts to develop as a result of malignant transformation of stem cells (progenitor cells) located in the conjunctiva between the nictitans membrane and the eyelid margin. Tumors can have very aggressive locally invasive and destructive behavior if left untreated. Exposure to UV radiation and chronic inflammation are considered contributing factors to the onset of the disease. The tumor is observed as an irregular proliferative mass of pink color, prone to ulceration and bleeding. Owners often mistake it for a wound or chronic conjunctival inflammation but become concerned when they notice it does not heal over a longer period of time. It occurs in both dogs and cats. Cats with light-colored fur, which spend most of their time outdoors, and those living at higher altitudes are more susceptible.

 
Therapy
The diagnosis is made by histopathological examination of the tumor. In cases where the systemic tumor spread is suspected, it is necessary to perform a complete blood count and biochemistry, aspiration/biopsy of local lymph nodes, and radiographic imaging of the head, thoracic, and abdominal cavity. Treatment involves surgical removal of the neoplasm along with the surrounding tissue, cryotherapy, and/or radiotherapy in combination with topical use of chemotherapeutic agents (mitomycin C and 5-FU agents). We routinely pursue intraoperative histopathology on frozen sections with a goal of evaluating surgical margins and possible presence of tumor cells in regions of completely normal tissue, which provides a much better success rate for the control of the tumor progression.
 
Please contact our specialty veterinary ophthalmology hospital Animal Eye Consultants
of Iowa (animaleyeiowa@gmail.com) in USA or Oculus Veterinary Specialty Hospital
(oculusklinika@gmail.com) in Serbia, Europe to schedule an appointment so your pet
can be seen.