Beyond being wonderful companions, cats may hold clues to better understanding and potentially improving treatment for cancers, including breast cancer, according to a group of international researchers.
A study published in the journal Science details how experts in both veterinary and human medicine investigated potential similarities in how cancer develops in people, and cats. This research is significant as it explores a relatively untapped area of comparative oncology, potentially leading to modern avenues for treatment development.
While previous research has highlighted connections between cancer in dogs and humans, little was known about the parallels in felines, explained Louise van der Weyden, an oncogenetic researcher at the British Wellcome Sanger Institute and co-author of the study, to AFP.
Cats, like dogs, “are excellent models for us” because they share similar environmental exposures – including “pollution or secondhand smoke” – and develop “the same diseases we do,” such as cancer and diabetes, she noted.
– Shared Genetic Markers –
Driven by this understanding, van der Weyden and her colleagues analyzed tumor samples from nearly 500 domestic cats across five countries, encompassing 13 different cancer types (brain, breast, lung, skin, and others).
Because cancer is driven by genetic mutations, the research teams searched for changes in the DNA of these tumor cells that mirrored those already identified in human medicine.
The analysis revealed several similarities between the two species, particularly in relation to breast cancer. In over 50% of the feline mammary tumors examined, a gene called FBXW7 – previously identified in human cancer research – showed signs of mutation.
Although this mutation isn’t common in women with breast cancer, it’s associated with a “particularly aggressive” form of the disease, the researcher emphasized, adding that breast cancers with this mutation are also very aggressive in cats.
– A “Win-Win” Scenario –
“For the small percentage of women who carry it,” this discovery is “remarkable” because it could pave the way for new therapies, she added.
Conducting clinical trials in humans is complicated by the low number of patients with this specific mutation. However, because the mutation is frequent in cats, targeted treatments could be tested more easily in veterinary clinics.
“I would personally be more inclined to accept a medication that has been tested on cats than on mice,” the scientist quipped.
Inspired by these parallels, Swiss researchers conducted additional experiments on the samples and found that two chemotherapy treatments appeared highly effective against tumors carrying the mutation.
While these results require further investigation, they could potentially benefit both women and cats, as these medications are already approved for use in both humans and animals, the study points out.
These findings could also improve the study of “the processes of cancer initiation,” explained Harikrishna Nakshatri, a professor at Indiana University and breast cancer specialist, to AFP.
Nakshatri, who was not involved in the study, described the results as “fascinating” and suggested they could “help us better understand the interaction between genes and the environment,” currently considered the “main suspect” in the transformation of cells carrying these mutations into cancerous cells.
The ambition, however, extends beyond advancing human cancer research, stressed Louise van der Weyden, who advocates for using these discoveries to improve the treatment of our animal companions, potentially offering them targeted therapies already used in humans.
Such an approach would be “a win-win for both the animal and the human,” she maintained.
AFP
