The first report of abdominal mesothelioma in a ram in Iran

Primary tumours arising from the mesothelial cells lining the peritoneal cavity, mesothelioma, have been recorded in the abdominal cavity of cattle, horses, dogs and cats. Abdominal tumour masses from a five-year-old male kordi sheep were found during routine inspection at the Mashhad abattoir. At gross examination, the tumour consisted of gray-white multiple firm, sessile nodules, approximately 2,60 kg in weight. Histopathological examination revealed numerous thin papillary projections covered by cuboidal cells with large vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli and in some areas the neoplastic cells lined cystic spaces. Mitotic figures were few. Based on histopathological findings, the tumour was diagnosed as abdominal mesothelioma.