Carcinoma de células escamosas corneal em um cão - uso da Mitomicina C 0.02% como adjuvante no tratamento

Background: Although Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is most commonly seen in the epidermis, this malignant neoplasm can manifest in various other tissues. A wide range of factors may be related to the development of SCC in the cornea, with continuous exposure to ultraviolet radiation and chronic friction to the ocular surface being the most accepted theories. In addition to surgical procedures, the use of mitomycin C in the topical treatment of corneal SCC has shown good results in therapeutic management. Thus, the objective of the current work is to report the satisfactory response observed in the use of mitomycin C in a case of SCC in the cornea of a dog. Case: This study addresses the case of a 9-year-old male Pug dog who was attended by the Veterinary Ophthalmology and Microsurgery Sector (SOMVET) of the University Veterinary Hospital (HVU) of the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). The patient presented with Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) in the cornea of the left eye, which had recurred after a previous surgical intervention. Secretion and discomfort in the left eye were noted during clinical examination. In addition, both eyes presented pigmentary keratitis in the medial corner. Surgical excision of the neoplasm was performed using the surgical technique of anterior lamellar keratectomy. In the immediate postoperative period, topical therapy was started with eye drops based on mitomycin C at 0.02%, for a period of 28 consecutive days. The use of this chemotherapy drug in the topical form was intended to minimize the chances of recurrence of the clinical condition, since the patient is predisposed to this alteration. In addition, supportive therapy was implemented to improve patient comfort, consisting of the use of tobramycin-based eye drops (6 times a day, for 14 days), atropine 1% eye drops (BID, for 3 days), lubricating eye drops based on sodium hyaluronate (3 times a day, for continuous use), and immunomodulatory eye drops based on tacrolimus 0.02% (twice a day, for continuous use). The patient was evaluated 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after surgery, when good results were observed. One year after treatment, the dog was still showing no signs of recurrence of the treated clinical condition. Discussion: It is known that chronic friction on the surface of the cornea predisposes to the diagnosis of corneal SCC. Accordingly, in the clinical examination of the patient in this report, the presence of bilateral pigmentary keratitis was observed, an alteration that leads to a framework of chronic aggression to the cornea. Surgical treatment is recommended to remove the tumor mass in the ocular region. However, in cases of corneal SCC, the literature highlights that recurrence after surgical excision is a common factor. As the patient in this study arrived at the clinic with a history of recurrence, topical therapy with mitomycin C associated with surgical treatment was instituted. This chemotherapy drug has shown encouraging results in the treatment of some neoplasms, especially SCC. Its use in this case supported previous findings, pointing to a satisfactory result in which the patient had no recurrences after one year of follow-up. In addition, the concentration and frequency used of the active ingredient did not lead to adverse effects in the short or medium term.