Scientists say the secret to curing cancer could live in your pet CAT

"Scientists have carried out a world-first study into multiple cancer types in felines and found genetic changes that could help treat the condition in both humans and animals. By analysing the different types of tumours from almost 500 pet cats across five countries, they discovered the mechanisms that drive cancer formation are comparable to those seen in people. For example, they found similarities between feline mammary cancers and human breast cancers."

"'Our household pets share the same spaces as us, meaning that they are also exposed to the same environmental factors that we are,' Professor Geoffrey Wood, from the University of Guelph in Ontario, said. 'This can help us understand more about why cancer develops in cats and humans, how the world around us influences cancer risk, and possibly find new ways to prevent and treat it.'"

"This new research is the first time that cat cancer tumours have been genetically profiled at scale. In their study, the researchers, including those at the Sanger Institute, looked for around 1,000 human cancer-associated genes in both tumours and healthy tissue samples from almost 500 pet cats. This included 13 different types of cat cancer and allowed them to compare the genetic changes to those seen in human and dog cancers."

Analysis of tumours from nearly 500 pet cats across five countries genetically profiled tumours and matched healthy tissue for roughly 1,000 human cancer-associated genes. Thirteen different feline cancer types were examined, enabling direct comparison of genetic alterations with those observed in human and canine cancers. Several cancer-driving mechanisms in cats matched those in humans, including parallels between feline mammary tumours and human breast cancer. Shared household exposures suggest overlapping environmental risk factors between cats and their owners. Identified shared genetic changes point toward development of targeted therapies for cats and potential translational applications to human cancer prevention and treatment.

Read at Mail Online