Oncology and Pathology of Small Mammal Pets
Summary
Small mammal pets, including rodents such as gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs and rats, as well as lagomorphs like domestic rabbits, represent an expanding sector of companion animals. Tumours in these species encompass a wide spectrum of benign and malignant neoplasms affecting cutaneous, endocrine, haematopoietic and glandular tissues. Cutaneous masses are among the most frequently encountered lesions and range from lipomas and adnexal tumours to basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Endocrine neoplasms, particularly insulinomas in rats and adrenocortical tumours in ferrets, exhibit characteristic clinical signs and metabolic disturbances. Haematopoietic malignancies such as lymphomas and mast cell tumours, though less common, present diagnostic challenges owing to their variable morphology and overlapping immunophenotypes.
Histopathology remains the cornerstone for definitive diagnosis, with routine staining techniques complemented by immunohistochemistry to subclassify tumour types and assess prognostic markers. Advances in molecular pathology have begun to elucidate genetic drivers of oncogenesis in some species, though this remains an emergent field. Understanding the epidemiology, species predilections and morphological hallmarks of spontaneous neoplasms in small mammals is essential not only for improving veterinary care but also for comparative oncology, where insights from companion animals can inform human medicine. Early recognition, accurate classification and appropriate surgical or medical management optimise outcomes and contribute to welfare and longevity in these increasingly popular pets.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Oncology and Pathology of Small Mammal Pets publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in oncology and pathology of small mammal pets across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Neoplasm: An abnormal mass of tissue resulting from uncontrolled cell growth.
Carcinoma: A malignant tumour arising from epithelial cells.
Sarcoma: A malignant tumour originating from connective tissues such as muscle, fat or bone.
Histopathology: The microscopic examination of stained tissue sections to study disease processes.
Immunohistochemistry: A technique using labelled antibodies to detect specific antigens in tissue sections, aiding tumour classification.
References
- Cutaneous and Subcutaneous Tumours of Small Pet Mammals—Retrospective Study of 256 Cases (2014–2021). Animals (2022).
- Clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical characterization of spontaneous neoplasms in pet rodents in Northeastern Brazil. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira (2024).
- Common Spontaneous Tumors and Tumor-like Lesions in 70 Pet Rodents and Negative MMTV Detection in Mammary Tumors. Animals (2024).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.