Benign Lesions the Same in Dogs and Humans

A team of U.S. and Italian scientists have found premalignant mammary lesions in dogs and humans display many of the same characteristics.

The Purdue University-led researchers said their discovery could lead to better understanding of breast cancer progression and prevention for both people and their dogs.

The scientists found similarities between benign lesions that are at risk for developing into breast cancer in both canines and humans, said Purdue veterinary scientist Sulma Mohammed, an associate professor of comparative pathobiology..

Dogs develop these lesions spontaneously in contrast to other available models and are exposed to the same environmental risk factors as humans, said Mohammed. These shared features make the dog an ideal model to compare the breast lesions that will progress to cancer and those that will regress. Such a model will facilitate customized treatment and prevention strategies.

The research, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, included Sunil Badve of Indiana University; Margaret Miller, Jun Xie and Elisabetta Antuofermo of Purdue; and Salvatore Pirino from the Sassari University School of Veterinary Medicine in Sardinia, Italy.

The findings are reported in the Journal of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention.