Canine Genes Offer Clues to Gastric Cancer in Humans researchers identified 15 genomic regions linked to gastric cancer in dogs in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The finding stems from DNA analysis that compared 200 dogs diagnosed with gastric cancer to 270 healthy controls, a dataset of 470 dogs collected across North America and Europe and drawn from a larger sample set of 500 animals. The researchers say the canine disease closely resembles human gastric cancer, making their study particularly relevant to advancements in human cancer research, as many canine cancers share key genetic mutations and biological behaviors with human cancers. As a result, the new genetic signals could open avenues for earlier screening and research into treatments.

Jacquelyn Evans, assistant professor at the Baker Institute for Animal Health and Cornell Riney Canine Health Center, led the analysis. “We were able to identify over 15 genome regions that are important for susceptibility to gastric cancer using DNA from fewer than 500 dogs,” she said. This streamlined approach highlights how studying genetic markers in dogs can accelerate our understanding of cancer processes that also apply to humans.

At the sites that are important for gastric cancer, Evans said, researchers observed distinct DNA differences between healthy and sick dogs that implicate genes in those regions in disease development. “At the sites that are really important for gastric cancer, what we saw is a distinct DNA difference between healthy and sick dogs, and it tells us that genes in this region contribute to developing the disease,” she said. This discovery could be pivotal not only for canine health but also for human oncology.

The study highlights breed-specific patterns. Belgian Tervuren and Belgian sheepdog breeds were identified as disproportionately affected, while the closely related Belgian Malinois rarely develops the disease. Interestingly, gastric cancer accounts for less than 1% to less than 5% of all cancers diagnosed in dogs, but certain breeds like Chow Chows are known to have a significantly elevated risk, being 10 to 20 times more likely to develop gastric carcinoma. The research team says those contrasts helped reveal both risk and protective genome regions. Increased prevalence of gastric cancer in chow chows are known to have a significantly elevated risk, being 10 to 20 times more likely to develop gastric carcinoma.

Evans and colleagues noted practical implications for canine health. “But with a genetic test, we could screen high-risk dogs earlier and potentially catch the disease while it’s still treatable,” she said, pointing to the possibility of targeted screening in breeds at elevated risk. What steps can pet owners take to monitor their dogs for signs of gastric cancer, such as persistent gastrointestinal and behavioral changes, including chronic vomiting, black stools, or significant weight loss.

Support and collaboration for the research came from the Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center and the National Human Genome Research Institute, with industry and academic partners including Embark, the University of California, Davis, Tufts University, and Utrecht University.

The study’s authors collected blood or cheek-swab samples from dogs in North America and Europe to assemble the case and control groups. The findings also identified newly associated genes, including some not previously linked to cancer, which the team says opens new avenues for research into human gastric cancer. Moreover, the team’s discovery exemplifies how canine genomic studies can enhance our understanding of cancer biology. Canine cancers as models: We have barely tapped the full potential …

Publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 30 places the dog data alongside growing efforts to use naturally occurring canine diseases to illuminate human cancer biology. The team says the relatively small number of dogs needed to find genetic associations in purebred populations can accelerate identification of risk loci compared with much larger human studies.

The study was led from Cornell’s research units and involved multiple collaborators and funders who supported sample collection, sequencing, and analysis. The authors say the genetic signals they uncovered include both risk and protective loci, and that follow-up studies will be needed to translate those signals into clinical tests or therapies.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.