Pets at forefront of cancer study
Anew joint study by three American universities is looking for healthy canines to participate in a study that may benefit people and their pets.
According to Dr Jenna Burton, associate professor of clinical oncology at UC Davis, the Vaccination Against Canine Cancer Study (VACCS) began in May and currently has 30 dogs enrolled at the Davis site. A total of 190 are enrolled across the three institutions.
Burton says that Davis is hoping for 275 pets to participate in the five-year study, which is being supported by the Open Philanthropy Project from Dr Stefan Johnson of Arizona State University.
‘‘This is a study that is being conducted for a cancer preventive vaccine that has never been done before,’’ Burton says. ‘‘We’re not just focusing on one type of cancer, but to see if the immune system can be geared to prevent several types of cancer.’’
The study would aim to aid the immune system in recognising abnormal proteins earlier.
According to Burton, a number of tumour types that develop in cats and dogs are similar to those in humans. She says the study is a two-way street that could benefit canines and humans alike. Burton says some studies estimate that as many as 50 per cent of all dogs over the age of 10 are diagnosed with cancer.
‘‘Just like humans, dogs are living longer and are developing cancer in greater numbers. Immunotherapy is an exploding field and dogs can be very helpful in that regard,’’ Burton says. ‘‘We can learn a lot from the amazing work being done and veterinary oncology can help a lot with that.
‘‘Pets live in the same environment as us. They drink the same water and breathe the same air.’’
Dogs involved in the study must meet a list of criteria and would undergo a number of screenings and examinations. Participating canines must be between 6 and 10 years old, of mixed breed, live within 150 miles of UC Davis, have had a veterinary visit within the past 12 months and have three years of previous medical history available, among other criteria.
According to Burton, a number of participants will be chosen at random to receive placebo vaccines.
They are also offering a financial incentive to cover veterinary visits for dogs participating in the study. – TNS