Khaberni - An international team of researchers has conducted a pioneering study on various types of cancer in cats, finding genetic changes that could help treat the disease in both humans and animals alike.
The researchers analyzed tumors taken from about 500 domestic cats in 5 countries, and found that the mechanisms that stimulate cancer formation in cats are very similar to those in humans. For example, similarities were observed between breast cancers in cats and humans.
The research team noted that cats are exposed to some of the same environmental risks as their owners, making some cancer causes partially shared between humans and animals. These findings could facilitate the development of treatments that target these changes in cats, and possibly in humans as well.
Professor Jeffrey Wood, from the University of Guelph in Ontario, said, "Our pets live in the same places we do, so they are exposed to the same environmental factors. This could help us understand the causes of cancer in cats and humans, how the surrounding world affects the risk, and perhaps find new ways to prevent and treat."
In an unprecedented large-scale study analyzing the genetic composition of cat cancer tumors, researchers reviewed about 1000 genes associated with human cancer in both the tumors and healthy tissue samples taken from about 500 pet cats, including 13 different types of cat cancer, allowing a comparison of genetic changes with those found in humans and dogs.
The results revealed that some genetic changes that stimulate cancer progression in cats, especially in breast cancer, are similar to those observed in humans. The researchers identified 7 driving genes, the most common of which was FBXW7, where a change in this gene was observed in more than 50% of cat tumors. In humans, changes in FBXW7 are associated with worse disease outcomes, similar to what is observed in cats.
The study also showed that some chemotherapy drugs were more effective in treating breast tumors in cats carrying changes in FBXW7, opening the door to the possibility of developing similar treatments for humans.
The second most common gene, PIK3CA, was found in 47% of breast cancer tumors in cats, and is also present in human cancers.
Similarities were not limited to breast cancer, as genetic changes similar to those in humans were observed in blood, bone, lung, skin, digestive system, and central nervous system tumors.
Billy Francis, the main co-author at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said, "Comparing cancer genomics across different species gives us a deeper understanding of the causes of cancer. Cancer changes in cats are similar to those in humans and dogs, benefiting researchers in veterinary and human fields alike."
Dr. Louise van der Weiden, the senior researcher at the same institute, added, "This development makes the genes responsible for domestic cat tumors clear, allowing us to take steps towards precise oncology for cats, similar to what is available for dogs, and ultimately, for humans."
The results of the study were published in the journal Science.
