Neoplasia in Captive Panthera Species

This retrospective study identified the spectrum of neoplasia diagnoses, prevalence rates and the contribution of neoplasia to death or humane destruction within Panthera species housed at a large cat sanctuary. Biopsy and necropsy reports from January 2002 to December 2017 were examined and histological material from cases diagnosed with neoplasia was reviewed. One hundred and sixty-eight neoplasms were diagnosed in 108 large felids: 70 tigers (Panthera tigris), 26 lions (Panthera leo), three ligers (P. leo × P. tigris), eight leopards (Panthera pardus) and one jaguar (Panthera onca). Forty-four felids had multiple neoplasms. The overall neoplasia rate (animals with neoplasms/all Panthera spp. pathology accessions) was 50.2%. Neoplasms predominantly originated from the reproductive (n = 47), endocrine (n = 27) and integumentary (n = 24) systems, with mammary carcinoma the most common neoplasm (n = 28). Mammary carcinomas comprised 59.6% of the reproductive tumours diagnosed and commonly metastasized widely. Neoplasia was the cause of death or humane destruction in 50.9% of the animals diagnosed with neoplasms. All lymphomas (n = 16) were responsible for death or humane destruction. This study shows that malignant and benign neoplasms are present in approximately half of ageing, captive Panthera spp., and that half of these animals will die or be humanely destroyed as a result of their neoplasms.