Kristina Tekavec

E-mail: kristina.tekavec@phd.unipi.it

Supervisori tesi: Prof. Carlo Cantile, Prof. Tanja Švara

Titolo Progetto: Morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of canine nerve sheath tumors

Abstract: Nerve sheath tumors (NSTs) are a group of tumors that arise from Schwann cells, fibroblasts, and perineurial cells. The four major subtypes of NSTs are schwannoma, perineurioma, neurofibroma, and malignant NST. In veterinary medicine, diagnostic criteria for the classification of NSTs are not well established. Although they are relatively common in animals, they present a major diagnostic challenge in veterinary pathology because they share considerable morphologic similarities with each other and also with other tumors that do not originate in the nerves. Also, some non-neoplastic proliferative lesions of the peripheral nervous system can mimic the histological features of these tumors. Immunohistochemistry is an important method for differentiation, but unfortunately, accurate diagnosis remains a challenge due to the lack of specific immunohistochemical and molecular biomarkers. An important part of our research is to investigate a selected panel of immunohistochemical markers that are not yet established but could be useful for the diagnosis of canine NSTs. We will also evaluate the histopathological features of archival samples of NSTs in dogs and, based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry, hopefully propose an update of the classification and grading of NSTs in dogs.

SCOPUS ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57219358192

Poster a congresso:

  • Kristina Tekavec, Mitja Gombač, Carlo Cantile. Morphological features of high-grade canine gliomas / Caratteristiche morfologiche dei gliomi di alto grado del cane (International conference “Brain tumors: from bench to clinic”. University Medical Centre, Interreg Italia-Slovenija, Trans-Glioma, Ljubljana, 26. 11. 2019).