Characterization of alkaline phosphatase cytochemistry in canine neoplastic and non-neoplastic pulmonary mass aspirates.

Background: Distinguishing primary and secondary pulmonary neoplasms can be challenging via cytology, and a rapid, inexpensive diagnostic tool to differentiate these neoplasms is unavailable. Alkaline phosphatase cytochemistry (ALP-CC) has been used to identify primary pulmonary carcinomas in human patients, and we hypothesized it could be applied to canine lung aspirates.

Objective: We aimed to characterize ALP-CC expression in fine-needle aspirate (FNA) samples of canine pulmonary neoplastic and non-neoplastic tumors.

Methods: A retrospective case search was conducted to identify cases with contemporaneous cytology and histopathology reports from pulmonary lesions, including neoplastic and non-neoplastic etiologies. Slides prepared from pulmonary aspirates were stained for ALP-CC activity, and the percentage of ALP-CC-positive primary pulmonary epithelial tumors was determined. To characterize the ALP-CC expression in non-neoplastic cellular constituents of pulmonary FNA samples, mesothelial cells were also evaluated.

Results: Forty-eight canine cases met the inclusion criteria. ALP-CC-positive cells were seen in both neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. In non-neoplastic lesions, pulmonary epithelial cells were ALP-CC positive. Eighty-nine percent of primary pulmonary epithelial neoplasms were ALP-CC positive, and no ALP-CC positivity was noted in mesothelial cells. ALP-CC-positive neoplastic cells were seen in a metastatic amelanotic melanoma.

Conclusions: Primary pulmonary epithelial neoplasms are frequently ALP-CC positive, but such positivity is not restricted to this tumor type. Non-neoplastic pulmonary epithelial cells can be ALP-CC positive, whereas mesothelial cells are negative.