Banca de DEFESA: ANANDA TEIXEIRA NEVES PONTES

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL, CLINICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF OCULAR AND PERIOCULAR NEOPLASMS 

IN CATTLE FROM THE AGRESTE REGION OF PERNAMBUCO

Carcinoma; Prognosis; Eye; Pathology

Ocular and periocular neoplasms in cattle represent a significant animal health concern, with direct impact on welfare and productivity, in addition to substantial economic losses resulting from treatment costs, carcass condemnation, and premature culling. Among these tumors, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most frequent and clinically relevant type. The first part of this dissertation provides a literature review addressing the normal anatomy of the bovine eye, carcinogenesis, and neoplasms affecting the ocular region, with emphasis on SCC. The second part comprises an article based on an epidemiological, clinical, and morphological study of ocular and periocular neoplasms in cattle from the Agreste region of Pernambuco, conducted through retrospective (2009–2023) and prospective (2024–2025) analyses of cases attended at the Bovine Clinic of Garanhuns/UFRPE and the Laboratory of Anatomy and Animal Pathology/UFAPE. Clinical, epidemiological, and morphological data were assessed, applying the multifactorial grading system of Nagamine et al. (2017) for SCC classification. SCC was the most prevalent neoplasm, affecting primarily adult dairy cows, with a predilection for the third eyelid and lesions smaller than 3 cm. Tumor size was associated with histological grade, indicating that larger lesions carried a worse prognosis. Histologically, grade 1 tumors predominated, and additional morphological findings were recorded, including multinucleated giant cells, basal cells, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition in more aggressive neoplasms. Cases of benign lesions requiring aggressive surgical intervention were also observed, emphasizing ocular localization as an isolated prognostic factor. Despite challenges in animal follow-up, recurrence was documented in tumors with poor prognostic scores, underscoring the importance of grading for predicting clinical outcomes and mitigating direct economic losses. These findings highlight the relevance of detailed morphological characterization and the incorporation of new prognostic parameters in the evaluation of bovine ocular neoplasms, supporting management strategies aimed at reducing losses in regional cattle farming.