Abstract 7313: Risk assessment, early detection, and strategic prevention of naturally occurring cancers in companion dogs
Authors: Modiano Jaime F. , Schulte Ashley J. , Dicovitsky Rose , DePauw Taylor A. , Khammanivong Ali , Lewellen Mitzi , Burt Lauren E. , Vallera Daniel A. , Cutter Gary R. , Winter Amber L. , Stuebner Kathleen M. , Chehadeh Andrea , Pracht Sara , Borgatti Antonella , Henson Michael S. , Dickerson Erin B. , Ober Christopher , Anderson Kari L. , Nell Esther , Sarver Aaron L. 
Published: March 2024

Our research is (focused) on delineating the relationship of aging and cancer with the goal to develop prevention and intervention therapies. Our success towards this end is based on the ability to employ companion dogs in clinical studies, particularly given the similarities of aging and cancer in dogs and people. Here, we report results of the development of both a companion diagnostic and a potential therapeutic intervention from the canine clinical Shine On study. The Shine On study included a training set of 97 dogs in four groups, consisting of (1) healthy 2-4 year-old dogs that were skeletally mature but had not reached the age boundary where cancer risk is apparent, and three groups where dogs had pathologically confirmed (2) hemangiosarcomas, (3) other malignant cancers, or (4) benign splenic masses. It also included a test set of 209 dogs over 6 years of age with no evidence of cancer or other chronic diseases. Using the Shine On Suspicion (SOS) test, dogs could be assigned to a low-risk category, where the probability of developing cancer over the next 400 days (approximately 1/10th of a modern domestic dog’s lifespan) was less than 4%, or to a high-risk category, where the probability of developing cancer over the same time period was almost 25%, and it increased to more than 50% by 1,450 days. Not surprisingly, the relative risk of cancer in dogs that were originally assigned to the low-risk category increased in a fashion that was comparable to that seen in dogs assigned to the high-risk category within 400-600 days after testing. We have used the bispecific ligand targeted toxin, eBAT, as a strategic preventative in seven dogs to date. The drug is well tolerated and associated with favorable outcomes (extended lifespan with no cancer deaths). Ongoing experiments seek to define the identity and functional properties of putative-niche forming cells and mechanisms through which we can modify the permissive environment to delay or prevent cancer in dogs - and eventually in humans.

Citation Format: Jaime F. Modiano, Ashley J. Schulte, Rose Dicovitsky, Taylor A. DePauw, Ali Khammanivong, Mitzi Lewellen, Lauren E. Burt, Daniel A. Vallera, Gary R. Cutter, Amber L. Winter, Kathleen M. Stuebner, Andrea Chehadeh, Sara Pracht, Antonella Borgatti, Michael S. Henson, Erin B. Dickerson, Christopher Ober, Kari L. Anderson, Esther Nell, Aaron L. Sarver. Risk assessment, early detection, and strategic prevention of naturally occurring cancers in companion dogs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 7313.