Cancer in dogs

Cancer is usually caused by a combination of heredity and environment. Mammary tumors are the most common form of cancer in female dogs and have many similarities to breast cancer in humans.

English Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Dobermans, Boxers, and German Shepherds are particularly prone to mammary tumors, and although the cause is unknown, hereditary factors are likely involved. We currently know relatively little about the hereditary risk factors for mammary tumors and breast cancer in women.

A research project is underway at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and Uppsala University (UU) to investigate the genetic background of mammary tumors. The goal is to find genes that contribute to the development of mammary tumors in dogs by examining samples from dogs. We hope that the results will benefit both dogs and women with breast cancer by providing a better understanding of disease mechanisms, diagnostics, and treatment methods in the long term.

Last year, we published an analysis comparing several hundred sick and healthy English Springer Spaniels and found a couple of regions in the genome that increase the risk of mammary tumors. One gene, CDK5RAP2, affects how the cell cycle is regulated and may influence how mammary tumors develop.

We now plan to analyze more breeds and are very grateful for blood and tumor tissue samples from many breeds with mammary tumors.

Participation

Would you like to contribute to increasing knowledge about mammary tumors? All samples submitted are of utmost importance to research!

We need both blood samples from healthy older dogs (>8 years) and blood samples and tumor tissue from dogs with mammary tumors.

We are currently in great need of tissue to be able to advance our research! A piece of tumor tissue is taken for research when the bitch has her mammary tumor removed, and this does not involve any additional procedures on the dog. If you have a bitch booked for surgery and are willing to donate tumor tissue from your dog, please contact us for more information.

Contact us if you want to participate or have any questions!

Breeds in the project

English Springer Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Doberman, German Shepherd, Boxer, and all dogs

Contact

Susanne Gustafsson, coordinator, Dog Biobank Tel: +46 (0)18-67 20 12

Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant tumor disease in the skeleton of dogs. The disease mainly affects large breeds. It is a complex and fatal disease whose underlying causes are unknown.

Our research group at Uppsala University is collaborating with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Broad Institute in Boston (USA) to gain a better understanding of the genetics of the disease. We hope that increased knowledge about the genetics behind osteosarcoma will lead to improved methods for diagnosis and treatment and can also be used as a parameter in breeding programmes.

We began by studying osteosarcoma in greyhounds, Rottweilers, and Irish wolfhounds. In the genetic analyses, we compared the genes of large groups of healthy and sick dogs. In this way, we have located more than 30 regions in the genome that affect the risk of disease in these three breeds.

Now that we have found genes that increase or decrease the risk of disease, the next step is to investigate what effects these have on cells and tissues in the body. We are also comparing DNA from tumor cells and normal cells to find out what genetic changes, or “mutations,” have occurred during tumor development.

We have now expanded the study to include several breeds, primarily Leonbergers, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Pyrenean Mountain Dogs, and Mastiffs.

Participation

Do you have a dog of one of the breeds included in the project and want to participate?

We are looking for blood samples from dogs with skeletal cancer regardless of breed, but especially the breeds mentioned above.

We are also looking for cancer-free older dogs, the age depending on the breed. Greyhounds and Rottweilers – from nine years of age, Mastiffs and Flat-coated Retrievers – from eight years of age, Irish Wolfhounds – from seven years of age, and Leonbergers, Great Danes, and Pyrenean Mountain Dogs – from six years of age.

We are also looking for tissue samples (a piece of the tumor and a piece of normal bone) from dogs with osteosarcoma. This is extremely important for us to better understand the development of the disease! Tissue samples are taken during surgery or after the dog has been euthanized; we do not perform any procedures that cause additional suffering to the dog. If you are willing to donate tissue from your dog, please contact us for more information.

To send in a blood sample, you need to fill out a consent form (English version of the consent form). Please also bring instructions for blood sampling and billing to your veterinarian. We also ask that you fill out a short breed-specific health questionnaire. Thank you for your participation!

Contact

Susanne Gustafsson Coordinator, Dog Biobank, +46 (0)18-672012

Brain tumors often arise from a type of supporting cell called glial cells. Tumors that originate from glial cells are called gliomas. Brain tumors are more common in some breeds than others; for example, they are common in brachycephalic breeds such as boxers and bull terriers. There is a possibility that the mutation that increases the risk of glioma is closely related to one of the changes that cause brachycephaly (short nose), which could facilitate identification.

Purpose

The aim of this project is to locate the mutations that cause glioma to a greater extent in brachycephalic breeds. If these mutations are identified, this knowledge could help us to better understand how the tumor develops and improve treatment of the disease.

Glioma also affects humans, and the knowledge we gain by studying dogs could be of great value in finding a cure and treatment for humans as well.

Researchers at Uppsala University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with researchers from UC Davis in California, have identified areas in the genome where mutations are likely to exist that together create the brachycephalic head shape. By comparing 39 dogs with glioma from several breeds with 141 healthy dogs from many breeds, we have found a region in the genome where there are three genes that could be involved in the onset of the disease. One of the genes, CAMKK2, is found in smaller amounts in brain tumors in both dogs and humans.

Malignant melanoma is a form of skin cancer in which the majority of genetic factors are still unknown. We are conducting a research project on melanoma in dogs.

The more aggressive forms of melanoma in dogs are very similar to melanoma in humans, where malignant melanoma is the form of skin cancer that causes the highest number of deaths in humans. Giant schnauzers and poodles are dog breeds that are particularly affected by melanoma. The reason for this is currently unknown, but hereditary factors are likely to be involved.

Participation

To succeed in our endeavor, we need your help! We need

• Blood samples from older healthy dogs (> 8 years)
• Blood samples from dogs that have/have had tumors
• Do you have an older healthy dog (over 8 years) or a dog with melanoma of the breeds included in the project? Contact us for more information!

Breeds in the project

Giant Schnauzer, Poodle, Scottish Terrier, Golden Retriever, and Labrador Retriever

Contact

Susanne Gustafsson, Coordinator, Dog Biobank Tel: +46 (0)18-67 20 12