POSSUMS
Possums are moderately susceptible to neoplasia, with a wide range of neoplasms documented. Lymphosarcoma, mammary adenocarcinoma and carcinoma, and hepatoma were the most frequently documented (Tables 18.13 and 18.14).
7. BANDICOOTS AND THE GREATER BILBY
Neoplasia is not uncommon in bandicoots and the greater bilby, and a wide range of benign and malignant neoplasms are documented.
Adenoma Apocrine: red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus)1 Biliary: agile wallaby (Notamacropus
agilis), wallaroo (unspecified),2 quokka (Setonixbrachyurus)∙1b Hepatic (hepatoma): eastern grey kangaroo (Macropusgiganteus);3 Mammary (tubular): Matschie's treekangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei);4 Thyroid: antilopine wallaroo (O. antilopinus),5 rufous bettong (Aepyprymnus rufenscens)3
| Basal-cell epithelioma | Red kangaroo7 |
| Fibropapilloma: gastric | Tammar wallaby (N. eugenii)6 |
| Haemangioma: hepatic | Common wallaroo (O. robustus) |
| Hamartoma: hepatosplenic | Rufous bettong8 |
| Leiomyoma: gastric | Long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus)1 |
| Lipoma | Gastric: red kangaroo;9 Subcutaneous: common wallaroo,1d long-nosed potoroo,1e 2 ? red kangaroo1f,10 |
| Mastocytoma: cutaneous | Kangaroo (unspecified)11 |
| Osteochondromatous proliferation: stifle | Parma wallaby (N. parma)12 |
| Papilloma: glossal | Quokka13 |
| Trichoepithelioma: cutaneous | Eastern grey kangaroo,14 red kangaroo10 |
| Pre-malignant | |
| Squamous carcinoma-in-situ: cutaneous | Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)1g |
1ARWH 2018 case nos a6444.1; b9133.1; c10795.2; d6286.1; e8685.1; f8082.1∙ g9897.2; 2Effron etal. 1977; 3Lombard and Witte 1959; 4Hsu etal. 2022; 5Vogelnest and Portas 2008; 6Wallach and Boever 1983; 7Canfield and Hartley 1992; 8Canfield et al. 1990c; 9Suedmeyer and Johnson 2007; 10Stern 2010; 11Ladds 2009; 12Rungsipipat et al. 1998; 13Appleby 1969; 14Speare and Banks 1987
Table 18.9. Malignant neoplasms in macropods
| Adenocarcinoma | Anal gland: brush-tailed bettong (Bettongia penicillata)1 Biliary: antilopine wallaroo (Osphranter antilopinus);2 Mammary: eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus),3 rufous hare-wallaby (Lagorchestes hirsutus),1b quokka (Setonixbrachyurus),1c western grey kangaroo (M. fuliginosus),1d 2 ? parma wallaby (Notamacropusparma),4 5 ? red kangaroo (O. rufus),1e,4-6 tammar wallaby (N. eugenii);7 Pancreatic: red kangaroo;8 Oral: red-necked wallaby (N. rufogriseus);9 Bronchial: eastern grey kangaroo,5 red kangaroo;3 Cutaneous: red-necked wallaby;5 Gastric: red kangaroo5 |
| Angioleiomyosarcoma | Eastern grey kangaroo10 |
| Carcinoma | Gastric: common wallaroo (O. robustus),5 11 ? macropod (unspecified);11 Hepatocellular: common wallaroo,2 eastern grey kangaroo;1f Laryngeal: rufous bettong (Aepyprymnus rufenscens);5 Mammary (comedocarcinoma): red kangaroo,12 parma wallaby;12 Mammary (tubular): 8 ? red kangaroo,12 Matschie's tree-kangaroo,12 parma wallaby;12 Mammary (tubulopapillary): eastern grey kangaroo;1g Pulmonary: red kangaroo;5 Renal: agile wallaby (N. agilis);5 Enteric: rufous bettong;4 Thyroid: parma wallaby,1h brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata)1 |
| Ependymoma | Red-necked wallaby1i |
| Haemangiosarcoma | Hepatic: eastern grey kangaroo,5 rufous hare-wallaby,1j quokka;1k Thoracic: bridled nail-tail wallaby (Onychogalea frenata);5 Primary unknown: eastern grey kangaroo2 |
| Leiomyosarcoma: para ovarian | Eastern bettong (B. gaimardi)1 |
| Leukaemia: lymphoid | Pademelon (unspecified), whip-tailed wallaby (N. parryi),5 eastern bettong,2 rufous-bellied pademelon (Thylogale billiarderii)λ4 |
| Liposarcoma: pancreatic | Quokka5 |
| Lymphosarcoma | Multicentric: red kangaroo,7 red-necked wallaby,2 whip-tailed wallaby;16 Leukaemic: Proserpine rockwallaby (Petrogale persephone)1 Cutaneous: brush-tailed bettong, western grey kangaroo,5 eastern grey kangaroo, quokka;4 Lymph node: agile wallaby;4 Splenic: agile wallaby5 |
| Melanoma | Cutaneous: red kangaroo, eastern bettong, western grey kangaroo;5 Oral: red-necked wallaby17 |
| Nephroblastoma | Hare-wallaby (unspecified)5 |
| Osteosarcoma | Eastern grey kangaroo5 |
| Sarcoma | Soft-tissue: long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus);5 Primary unknown: Bennett's tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus bennettianus)λ5 |
| Seminoma | Red kangaroo18 |
| Squamous cell carcinoma | Biliary: red kangaroo;1m Cervicovaginal: parma wallaby;19 Cutaneous: agile wallaby, red-necked wallaby,5 eastern grey kangaroo,1o swamp wallaby;1n Oral: bridled nail-tail wallaby,5 3 ? red kangaroo;7,20 Gastric: red kangaroo3 |
| Stromal tumour: ovarian | Red kangaroo4 |
| Teratoma: ovarian | Bridled nail-tail wallaby1p |
1ARWH 2018 case nos a8539.1; b2241.1; c8707.1; d8850.1; e11279.2; f10729.2; g10231.1; h6858.1; i8084.1; j6122.1; k11480.1; l9274.1; m3241.1; n9897.1; o11162.1; p7551.1; 2Canfield and Hartley 1992;
3Lombard and Witte 1959; 4Canfield etal.
1990b; 5Vogelnest and Portas 2008; 6Suedmeyer and Johnson 2007; 7Sharp etal. 2008; 8Kilburn etal. 2013; 9Effron etal. 1977; 10Setyo etal. 2019;11Canfield and Cunningham 1993; 12Hsu etal. 2022; 13Doneley and Suen 2022; 14Munday 1971; 15Ladds 2009; 16Rothwell 1988; 17Garma-Avina 1981; 18Wallach and Boever 1983; 19Griner 1983; 20Kosanke et al. 1979
Table 18.10. Transponder associated neoplasms in gliders*
| Neoplasm | Species | No. cases |
| Soft-tissue sarcoma | Feather-tailed glider (Acrobatespygmaeus) g-n, 2 | 16 |
| Fibrosarcoma | 4 ? feather-tailed glider,1b,c,3 mahogany glider (Petaurus gracilis)4 | 5 |
| Osteosarcoma | Feather-tailed glider1e,f,5 | 3 |
| Lipoma: infiltrative | Yellow-bellied glider (P. australis)a | 1 |
| Myxosarcoma | Feather-tailed glider1d | 1 |
*Also reported in squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) and sugar glider (P. breviceps), neoplasm and number of animals not specified (ZAA 2013).
1ARWH 2018 case nos a7086.2; b9638.1; c9967.1; d10682.1; e4804.1; f10048.1; g4125.1; h4363.1; i4407.1; j6627.1; k7089.1; l8630.2; m9780.1; n11303.1; 2Whiteside etal. 2008; 3Vogelnest etal.
1997; 4Ladds 2009; 5Pessier et al. 1999
Table 18.11. Other benign neoplasms in gliders
| Adenoma | Adrenocortical: squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis);1 Hepatic (hepatoma): 2 ? feather-tailed glider (Acrobates spp.);1,2a Sebaceous (multiple): squirrel glider;2b Pulmonary: feather-tailed glider2c |
| Epithelioma: pouch | Squirrel glider1 |
| Fibroma: subcutaneous | Glider (unspecified)3 |
| Hamartoma | Sugar glider (P. breviceps) |
| Leiomyoma: skin | Sugar glider1 |
| Lipoma | Patagial: yellow-bellied glider (P. australis)2 Ossifying: glider (unspecified)3 |
| Meningioma: myxoid | Squirrel glider2e |
| Schwannoma | Squirrel glider1 |
1Johnson and Hemsley 2008; 2ARWH 2018 case nos a8578.1; b7647.1; c9967.1; d7086.1; e9351.1; 3Ladds 2009
Table 18.12. Other malignant neoplasms in gliders
| Adenocarcinoma | Duodenal: sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps);1 Hepatocellular: sugar glider;2 Mammary: squirrel glider (P. norfolcensis);1 Salivary gland: squirrel glider;3a Anal gland: glider (unspecified);4 Biliary: feather-tailed glider (Acrobates spp.)4 |
| Carcinoma | Adrenocortical: mahogany glider (P. gracilis),3b sugar glider;5 Biliary: 2 ? feather-tailed glider;3c,5 Bronchoalveolar: sugar glider,4 mahogany glider;6 Hepatocellular: sugar glider,7 feather-tailed glider;8 Mammary (anaplastic): sugar glider;[9] Paracloacal gland: sugar glider[10] [11] |
| Carcinosarcoma: hepatic | Sugar glider11 |
| Chondrosarcoma: neck | Glider (unspecified)4 |
| Fibrosarcoma: coelomic | Feather-tailed glider1 |
| Histiocytic sarcoma | Sugar glider[12] |
| Leukaemia | Glider (unspecified)4 |
| Lymphosarcoma | Multicentric: feather-tailed glider;3e Cutaneous: squirrel glider;3d Type unspecified: squirrel glider, sugar glider1 |
| Myxosarcoma: testicular | Feather-tailed glider3f |
| Osteosarcoma | Feather-tailed glider1 |
| Rhabdomyosarcoma | Feather-tailed glider1 |
| Sarcoma: soft tissue | Pedal: feather-tailed glider;1 Tail: feather-tailed glider;3g Thoracic: yellow-bellied glider (P. australis)∙3h Digital: squirrel glider;3i Subcutaneous: feather-tailed glider,1 mahogany glider,3 squirrel glider3k |
| Squamous cell carcinoma | Cutaneous: Mahogany glider;3' Uterine: mahogany glider6 |
| Transitional cell carcinoma: | Sugar glider13 |
pericloacal
1Johnson and Hemsley 2008; 2Churgin etal. 2015; 3ARWH 2018 case nos a9351.1; b9980.2; c6593.1; d11300.1; e8630.2; f6903.1; g8731.1; h7452.1; i10272.1; j10321.1; k8787.1; l10870.1; 4Ladds 2009; 5Pessier etal. 1999; 6Hill and Owen 2021; 7Lindemann etal. 2016; 8Whiteside etal. 2008; 9Keller etal. 2014; 10Chen etal. 2018; 11McCready etal. 2023; 12Son etal. 2021; 13Marrow etal. 2010
Table 18.13. Benign neoplasms in possums
| Adenoma | Adrenocortical: common brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus vulpecula);1 Hepatic (hepatoma): eastern pygmy-possum (Cercatetus nanus), western pygmy-possum (C. concinnus)1 mountain pygmy-possum (Burramysparvus);2 Leadbeater's possum (Gymnobelideusleadbeateri);3 Mammary (adenomyoepithelioma): eastern ring-tailed possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)4 Pulmonary: possum (unspecified);5 Uterine: Leadbeater's possum6 |
| Fibroma: subcutaneous | Possum (unspecified)5 |
| Histiocytoma | Possum (unspecified)5 |
| Haemangiopericytoma: aural | Common brush-tailed possum1 |
| Myelolipoma: hepatic | Mountain pygmy-possum2 |
| Osteoma | Eastern ring-tailed possum4b |
| Papilloma: nictitating membrane | Possum (unspecified)5 |
| Xanthomata: cutaneous | Leadbeater's possum1 |
1Johnson and Hemsley 2008; 2Scheelings and Dobson 2015; 3Wicker etal. 2017; 4ARWH 2018 case nos a8777.3; b8132.1; 5Ladds 2009; 6Steventon etal. 2023
Table 18.14. Malignant neoplasms in possums
| Adenocarcinoma | Bronchial: common brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)1 Mammary: 2 ? mountain pygmy possum (Burramysparvus),2 eastern ring-tailed possum (Pseudocheirusperegrinus);3 Gastric: possum (unspecified);4 Perianal: possum (unspecified);4 Uterine: possum (unspecified);4 Primary unknown: 3 ? eastern ring-tailed possum3 |
| Carcinoma | Mammary: common brush-tailed possum;5 Mammary, comedocarcinoma: eastern ring-tailed possum;1b Ovarian: mountain pygmy-possum;2 Biliary: possum (unspecified);4 Hepatocellular: Leadbeater's possum (Gymnobelideusleadbeateri),6 possum (unspecified);4 Subcutaneous: possum (unspecified);4 Renal (transitional cell): possum (unspecified)4 |
| Chondrosarcoma: oesophageal | Common brushtail possum4 |
| Haemangiosarcoma: intestinal | Leadbeater's possum6 |
| Leiomyosarcoma: intestinal | Eastern ring-tailed possum1c |
| Lymphosarcoma | Multicentric: common brush-tailed possum,1f eastern ring-tailed possum;1g Leukaemic: common brush-tailed possum;1e Hepatic: common brush-tailed possum;1d Type unspecified: common brush-tailed possum, eastern ring-tailed possum, eastern pygmy-possum (Cercatetus nanus)3 |
| Sarcoma | Anal sac: eastern ring-tailed possum;3 Anaplastic: mountain pygmy-possum;2 Musculoskeletal: Leadbeater's possum;6 Pulmonary (large cell): common brush-tailed possum3 |
| Sarcomatosis: peripheral nerve sheath | Eastern ring-tailed possum1h |
| Sertoli cell tumour | Eastern pygmy-possum3 |
| Sex cord stromal tumour | Leadbeater's possum7 |
| Squamous cell carcinoma | Oesophageal: mountain pygmy-possum;2 Vaginal: Leadbeater's possum;7 Location unspecified: common brush-tailed possum3 |
1ARWH 2018 case nos a10672.1; b8777.2; c8665.1; d9112.1; e6926.1; f8702.1; g11055.1; h11340.1; 2Scheelings and Dobson 2015; 3Johnson and Hemsley 2008; 4Ladds 2009; 5Setyo etal. 2020; 6Wicker etal. 2017 ; 7Steventon etal. 2023
Table 18.15. Benign neoplasms in bandicoots and the greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis)
| Adenoma | Hepatic (hepatoma): southern long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta)1 Mammary (cystadenoma): southern long-nosed bandicoot;1a Renal (tubular): southern long-nosed bandicoot;1b Sebaceous: southern long-nosed bandicoot1c |
| Adenomatosis: pulmonary | Greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis)2 |
| Fibroma: subcutaneous | Eastern barred bandicoot (P. gunnii)1d |
| Haemangioma: pancreatic | Greater bilby1e |
| Histiocytoma: facial | Eastern barred bandicoot3a |
| Leiomyoma: colonic | Eastern barred bandicoot3b |
| Lipoleioma: subcutaneous | Eastern barred bandicoot3c |
| Lipoma | 2 ? southern long-nosed bandicoot1b,f; eastern barred bandicoot1g |
| 1ARWH 2018 case nos a90/961; b7011.1; c6855.1; | d94/3974; e740/94; f8571.1; g7637.1; 2Ladds 2009; 3Lynch 2008 case nos aHS921164; bMZ920647; cMZ910320 |
7.1 Cutaneous papillomatosis and carcinomatosis in western barred bandicoots
Western barred bandicoots (Perameles bougainville) exhibit an infectious neoplastic syndrome associated with bandicoot papillomatosis carcinomatosis virus type 1 (BPCV1) (Woolford et al. 2008; Woolford et al. 2009; see Chapter 41).
Alopecia, erythema and skin thickening are seen in the early stages of disease. Subsequently there is development of multicentric papillomatous lesions on the skin and mucosa, particularly affecting the face, feet and pouch. The lesions are clinically debilitating and progressive, with periocular and foot masses being the most problematic. Euthanasia is often indicated (O’hara et al.
Fig. 18.3. Transponder-associated soft-tissue sarcoma in a feather-tailed glider (Acrobatespygmaeus) at necropsy. The microchip can be seen protruding from the caudal aspect of the mass (ARWH 2018 case no. 11303.1).
7.2 Other neoplasms in bandicoots and the greater bilby
A range of other neoplasms have been documented in bandicoots and the greater bilby (Tables 18.15 and 18.16).
2004; Woolford et al. 2008). Early and smaller lesions are microscopically equivalent to benign papillomas and with time appear to undergo neoplastic transformation, becoming SCCs. Both managed and free-ranging animals can be affected (Woolford et al. 2009).
8.