There are a lot of things a man can learn from a dog. When you embrace friendship, selflessness, and unwavering loyalty, you’ll be good to live every time of your days with joy and unbridled exuberance. Beside several things a dog can teach us regarding enjoying life, there is another special thing that they share with us. Just like rampant cancer affecting people, there is also a high-rise of cancer cases in dogs. Perhaps pet cancer has recorded a high number of deaths in a four-legged friend with more than ten years
The emerging pandemic has turned out to be beneficial in cancer research. “Comparative Oncology’’ is the recent field of research that has compromised to help in curing cancer. The researchers of this study examined the relationships between cancer occurring naturally in both pets and people. This would, therefore, help provide clues on how to treat cancer more effectively.
The research in the field involves cancer specialists, physicians, veterinarians, and primary scientists. They all aim at improving human health as well as the rapid accessibility of effective cancer treatment which has only be possible with the use of traditional approaches of Cancer research in the past.
Dogs are known species that have strong genetic and physiologic similarities just like people. In this case, mice cannot be related to dogs since they don’t typically have a long lifespan for us to study whether they also get cancer naturally. Although we don’t exactly tell whether some species of rodents can develop cancer, most predators get rid of field mouse’s life when they’re still young. Mice typically experimented by the scientists in the laboratory are directly injected with cancer instead of leaving it to occur naturally in their bodies.
In 2003, Scientists decoded the canine genome after officially mapping the human genome. In the study, they learned that dogs have more than 80 percent of genetic similarities as compared to that of a human while mice have 67 percent.
Cancer such as lymphoma, bladder cancer, and bone cancer which arises spontaneously in dogs is molecularly and microscopically identical to cancer in people. The multiple genetic mutations which deprive cells and develop cancerous in humans are similar mutations causing cancer in dogs. When both cells are observed with a microscope, it’s quite impossible to differentiate between the human tumor and that of a dog.
Generally, dogs would provide a vast, varied population that is essential in the research of medicine. Just like in human, different dogs develop cancer that is entirely different from each other. The variation influencing type of cancer in dogs include home environment, different breeds, and the general lifestyle translating to population diversity just like in humans. But for the laboratory mice, the similarity is as a result of essentially similar identity living in an extremely regulated environment.
Most of the pet dogs today, receive excellent health care in their entire life. So it’s now easy for the pets’ owner to look for more improved options used in managing cancer for their companions. It’s also important in minimizing the side effects.
The diversity of genetics and the sharing of the same DNA, microscopic structure, molecular structure, and physiology between humans and dogs have given Cancer Researchers with the vital opportunity. Development of cancer and it responds to treatment in dogs is similar to that in humans.
Therefore, the new treatment effective in dog cancers has been found to have the same benefits in human cancer patients. With this result, the researchers believe that the trials of the new drugs in canine with cancer are likely to results in great therapeutic discoveries. Thus, there would be more possibilities to predict medical responses, particularly in human cancer patients.
Through the study of how cancer has effects in pets, Scientists are now gaining more knowledge of how the new cancer drug treats and influences patients’ general quality of life while under treatment. As a result, it benefits the owners of the pet by providing improved access to cancer treatment and also helps human patients using a quick way of collecting essential data required for the approval by the FDA.
For example, Osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that is similar to both the people and dogs has led to a breakthrough in the treatment of osteosarcoma in kids due to intensive research in canine osteosarcoma. According to bone surgery in dogs, limb-saving surgical procedures aimed at providing safe, effective reconstruction are now proper care accorded to children.
Immunotherapy was recently shown to improve the survival in canine having bone cancer by preventing or delaying the spread of cancer to the lungs. FDA has therefore granted a Fast-Track Status, treatment done in dogs for the use in human in the last April.
The fast-tracking program developed by FDA was meant to support the hastened approval for better treatment on dangerous conditions. As a result, clinical trial in kids suffering from Osteosarcoma is expected to kick off this year at several Pediatric Cancer Centers in every part of the US.Therefore, these discoveries show that our best furry companions play a vital role in helping us learn new and better ways of supporting victims in the battle against cancer in both pets and human.
