Comparative Oncology Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, 37 Convent Drive, Room 2144, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Naturally occurring cancers in pet dogs and humans share many features, including histological appearance, tumour genetics, molecular targets, biological behaviour and response to conventional therapies. Studying dogs with cancer is likely to provide a valuable perspective that is distinct from that generated by the study of human or rodent cancers alone. The value of this opportunity has been increasingly recognized in the field of cancer research for the identification of cancer-associated genes, the study of environmental risk factors, understanding tumour biology and progression, and, perhaps most importantly, the evaluation and development of novel cancer therapeutics.
Nat Rev Cancer. 2008 Feb;8(2):147-56