Cancer is common in dogs. About 1 in 4 of hers will develop cancer at some point in her life, and that rate rises to nearly 50% by an estimated dog past her 10th birthday. Traits such as size, breed and whether the animal is immobilized are linked to how long it takes furry friends to be diagnosed with the disease, according to a new analysis of thousands of dogs. I understand.
Researchers have looked at age at cancer diagnosis in dogs in the past, but those studies have focused primarily on specific breeds and types of cancer. Common breeds there and other factors such as neutering and spaying are different from those in the U.S., said veterinary oncologist Andy Flory, co-founder and chief medical officer of PetDx in California. says. based pet diagnostic company. “We wanted to develop something that could be applied to the dog population that we have here. [in the U.S.],” she says.
To identify age-related factors in cancer diagnosis, Flory and her team at PetDx evaluated previously collected data from 3,452 dogs in three separate groups. Her two groups of samples were from academic institutions within the United States. One from the University of California, Davis, and one from a consortium that includes Colorado State University, Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and others. Samples from a third cohort were collected in a previous study by her PetDx conducted at 41 different sites in several countries including the United States, Canada and Brazil.
Researchers found that, overall, the median age at diagnosis of cancer in dogs was 8.8 years. Males were diagnosed at a younger median age than females (8.4 vs. 9 years). Spayed and neutered dogs were also found later than unrestrained dogs (8.9 vs. 7.9 years for males and 9 vs. 7.3 years for females). The team also found that purebred dogs tended to be detected at a younger median age than mixed-breed dogs (8 years vs. 9.5 years), and that larger size was associated with earlier diagnosis. Dog breeds with the youngest median age of cancer diagnosis (<7 years) included mastiffs, St. Bernards, Great Danes, and bulldogs. The other end of the spectrum included the Bichon Frize, West Highland White Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier, all of whom had a median age of diagnosis of 10.5 years or older. Proswan.
Lisa Moses, a veterinarian and bioethicist at Harvard Medical School, said, “I’m happy that there’s such a large-scale study in veterinary medicine because there really hasn’t been this kind of study. because it wasn’t that long ago.” , was not involved in this work. “This certainly adds to what we know about the development and diagnosis of cancer in various purebred dogs, which is certainly interesting, and a future clinical veterinarian.” It will be important for people like me.”
Based on these findings, as well as evidence on tumor size and progression from previous studies in humans and dogs, the authors of this study recommended that all animals be screened for cancer starting at age 7 years, with a median diagnosis of Early screening is recommended for breeds with a lower age. Being able to detect cancer early will allow veterinarians to offer families treatment and care options, Flory said. PetDx offers a blood-based canine cancer test called OncoK9. It works by searching for cancer-associated mutations in extracellular floating DNA. Tests available in North America cost about $500. Liquid Biopsy His assay “is considered a multiple cancer detection test,” said Gilles LaFalco, PetDx’s director of science communications. “We are looking for genomic alterations in the blood that could signal different types of cancer that may be present in that dog.”
However, experts not involved in the study are wary of cancer screening recommendations. According to Cheryl London, a veterinary oncologist at Tufts University, a key problem is the lack of effective early-stage canine cancer screening tools. “If we’re talking about true cancer screening, veterinary medicine doesn’t have the tools yet to actually do that,” says London. Tools commonly used in veterinary practice, such as ultrasound and X-rays, are not sensitive enough to detect most early-stage cancers, and based on data published by PetDx to date, neither is liquid biopsy. No, she added. (London sits on the scientific advisory board of One Health Company, a California-based company focused on cancer diagnosis and personalized treatment for dogs.)
PetDx presents a validation study of OncoK9. pro swan Overall sensitivity (ability to identify true cases) was reported to be 54.7% and specificity (ability to avoid false positive detection) was 98.5%. In general, the test’s detection rate was much higher for larger, more advanced cancers, with a detection rate of 87.5% for large, metastatic cancers, but only 19.6% for small, localized cancers.
Another problem is that the team’s recommendation to screen two years before the median age of diagnosis is based solely on modeling the physical characteristics of the tumor, says Moses. , “I’m more concerned with issues like morbidity and quality of life,” she adds. “As clinicians, we need more information about whether knowing this information sooner can help our dogs,” she says.
London says that while the data from the study will help confirm previously identified patterns in cancer diagnosis in dogs, there are concerns about when companies marketing cancer screening tests will start using the tests. The fact that it is making recommendations “is a source of significant conflict,” it said. Are interested. “Based on the information currently available, ‘screening cannot be recommended,’ says London. “You’re asking people to spend a lot of money. Consumers need to be aware of what tests can and can’t do. can not.
