Nature & Environment
Genetic Studies Shed Light on Breast Cancer in Dogs
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Dec 10, 2013 12:12 PM EST
When it comes to dogs, mammary tumors are the most common forms of cancer in females. Now, though, researchers have taken a closer look at this breast cancer and the findings may help improve our understanding of the development of cancer not only in dogs, but also in humans.
Cancer is the most common cause of death in dogs, though the incidence of cancer varies according to the breed of dog. This indicates that genetic risk factors play an important role when it comes to cancer development. Yet scientists still know little about which genes and mutations can lead to the development of mammary tumors in canines.
In order to learn more about breast cancer in dogs, the researchers studied known risk genes in dogs. These genes were already known to be linked to cancer in humans. In the end, the scientists found that there was a large variation in these genes from breed to breed; some of the variants proved to have a detrimental effect and could lead to a potential change in the risk of developing cancer.
The researchers then compared the incidence of these genes in different groups of English springer spaniels with and without mammary tumors. They found that variants of the estrogen receptor gene are associated with the risk of developing these tumors in dogs. This, in turn, reveals a little bit more about cancer development in general.
That's not all the researchers found. They also discovered that as the number of mutations and the number of aberrations increased, the more malignant the tumors turned out to be. They also detected major cancer genes known to occur in humans but also identified new areas.
The findings reveal a little bit more about the genetic changes which cause cancer. This, in turn, is important for preventative measures and for diagnosis. The research shows a little bit more about cancer in dogs and also may have important implications for human breast cancer.
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First Posted: Dec 10, 2013 12:12 PM EST
When it comes to dogs, mammary tumors are the most common forms of cancer in females. Now, though, researchers have taken a closer look at this breast cancer and the findings may help improve our understanding of the development of cancer not only in dogs, but also in humans.
Cancer is the most common cause of death in dogs, though the incidence of cancer varies according to the breed of dog. This indicates that genetic risk factors play an important role when it comes to cancer development. Yet scientists still know little about which genes and mutations can lead to the development of mammary tumors in canines.
In order to learn more about breast cancer in dogs, the researchers studied known risk genes in dogs. These genes were already known to be linked to cancer in humans. In the end, the scientists found that there was a large variation in these genes from breed to breed; some of the variants proved to have a detrimental effect and could lead to a potential change in the risk of developing cancer.
The researchers then compared the incidence of these genes in different groups of English springer spaniels with and without mammary tumors. They found that variants of the estrogen receptor gene are associated with the risk of developing these tumors in dogs. This, in turn, reveals a little bit more about cancer development in general.
That's not all the researchers found. They also discovered that as the number of mutations and the number of aberrations increased, the more malignant the tumors turned out to be. They also detected major cancer genes known to occur in humans but also identified new areas.
The findings reveal a little bit more about the genetic changes which cause cancer. This, in turn, is important for preventative measures and for diagnosis. The research shows a little bit more about cancer in dogs and also may have important implications for human breast cancer.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone