As Lili Duda points out, for a long time the prevailing model has been for new anti-cancer agents to be tested in laboratory rats or mice first. Researchers artificially induce cancer in these lab animals or transplant it into them. If the agent shows promise in the lab, it can progress to clinical studies involving people. Often, though, the treatment does not produce the same promising results, possibly because rodents are so different from humans, or maybe because the cancer was induced and did not occur spontaneously or naturally. Cats and dogs with cancer provide a better model for what happens in people, both because their cancer occurs spontaneously, and they are more similar to humans physiologically.
Pets live in our homes and share our environment humans.
Dr. Duda says that she and other veterinary oncologists would like to see this model turned around, with the most promising new treatment approaches being used in companion animals first. Of course, these clinical trials must be designed to ensure that the animal is not subjected to any unnecessary risks or pain, just as human clinical trials are. But well-designed studies of treatments in companion animals stand to benefit both pets and their owners and possibly people with cancer. Dr. Withrow's work on osteosarcoma in dogs is one of the best examples of how veterinary oncology can benefit humans. Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that is extremely common in dogs.