METASTATIC CHOLANGIOCELLULAR CARCINOMA AND RENAL ADENOCARCINOMA IN A GOLDEN EAGLE (AQUILA-CHRYSAETOS)

A 33-year-old captive male golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was presen ted for necropsy with a history of emaciation and depression. The live r was severely distorted by numerous, coalescent, poorly demarcated, w hite firm nodules, Upon microscopic examination, these masses were fou nd to be infiltrative and were composed of anastomosing tubular struct ures lined by signet-ring cells piling up in a disorderly fashion. Ult rastructurally, neoplastic cells were characterized by abundant microv illi at their apical pole and by numerous junctional complexes on late ral cell membranes. Based on morphological criteria, this tumour was c lassified as a poorly differentiated cholangiocellular carcinoma. Meta stases were found in kidneys, testes, lungs, air sacs, pericardium, pa ncreas, adrenals and meninges. Additionally, two (11 and 2 mm) beige n odules were found in the cranial portion of the left kidney. Histologi cal examination revealed locally infiltrative compact masses composed of well-differentiated tubules lined by a tall columnar epithelium wit hout microvilli, These tumours were diagnosed as renal tubular adenoca rcinomas. This is believed to be the first case of two simultaneous ma lignancies reported in a bird of prey.