Research — 2007 Studies

Principal investigator: Laura J. Rush, DVM, PhD
Lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in dogs. Scientists already have documented that genetic alterations contribute to cancer development, including lymphoma. One such alteration, DNA promoter methylation, occurs frequently in human cancers, and investigators believe this change may also play a key role in canine lymphoma. Investigators will determine the prevalence of promotor methylation in canine lymphoma samples to help them uncover key cancer genes that regulate lymphocyte transformation and the progression of this disease in dogs. These genes may serve as diagnostic tumor markers and targets for future molecular therapy in dogs.

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Principal investigator: Marlene Hauck, DVM, Ph.D.
Vaccines were first suspected as an underlying cause of tumor formation in cats in the early 1990s. Chronic inflammation at the site of vaccine injections is thought to contribute to normal cells transforming into malignant ones. Although prevalence of infection-site sarcoma tumors is relatively low, cats that develop sarcomas suffer devastating consequences. Even with the best treatment, less than half survive long-term. Researchers will use microarray technology to measure thousands of genes in normal, reactive and cancerous feline tissues and use that information to formulate a preliminary hypothesis as to which genes play a role in the creation of cancerous tumors. An understanding of the genetic changes associated with these tumors may help to improve treatment and prevention strategies.

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