BETHESDA: Studying cancer in pet dogs is helping U.S. researchers find new treatments for human patients, the researchers reported.
A study, published in PLoS Medicine, says many pet owners are willing to have their dogs take part in clinical trials.
Study leader Dr. Chand Khanna and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., found a pet owner’s decision to pursue an experimental therapy is influenced by a number of factors — including the possible risks and benefits of the experimental therapy and reduced costs for care provided by the investigational trial.
“Many pet owners are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of cancer treatment for future human and canine patients,” the study authors say in a statement.
The authors note that looking at naturally occurring cancer biology and treatment in animals, known as comparative oncology, is not a new concept. In the last 30 years, they say this approach has advanced treatment of several cancers including osteosarcoma — a bone cancer — and melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.
Source: www.upi.com