We know people who buy insurance for pets are highly involved with their pets. So we've got a peculiar population, but they own all dogs and cats, not just dogs predisposed to mast cell tumors. At increased risk are golden retrievers, boxers, Boston terriers and all dogs over age 10. We know there are probably other things factoring in, not the least of which is that insured pets get lumps and bumps biopsied more frequently. We're better at looking for tumors, so reporting is better.
Early detection is crucial.
Every lump in a dog warrants some minimum diagnostic. The issue is to find them small and treat them big. While it is the most common cause of death in dogs, it's also the most curable chronic condition. Much of the cutting-edge research in animal cancer is done at the Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State. Research is done only on animals with cancer and in the context of clinical trials.