Cranio-facial tumours of mixed cartilage and bone in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus)
P J CANFIELD,1 R PERRY,2 A S BROWNS3 and R A McKENZIE4
1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006
2 635 Warringah Road, Forestville, New South Wales 2087
3 Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4067
4 Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Animal Research Institute, Yeerongpilly, Queensland 4105
ABSTRACT
Cranio-facial tumours of mixed cartilage and bone are discussed in 4 koalas. The tumours were well circumscribed and distorted the faces of the koalas. Grossly, the tumours were firm, white and nodular. Histologically, they consisted of compartments separated by connective tissue septa. The compartments were lined by cells resembling chondroblasts, and had varying amounts of bone and hypertrophied chondrocytes in their centres. The neoplasms were considered benign.