Genetic links between cat cancers and human disease found in major global study
Scientists have completed the first large-scale genetic study of cancer in domestic cats, revealing that many of the mutations found in feline tumours are also seen in human cancers.
The research, published in Science, examined tumour samples from nearly 500 cats collected across five countries. Researchers say the findings could help improve understanding of how cancer develops in both animals and people while creating an important resource for future feline cancer research.
Researchers identified many of the same cancer-driving genes already associated with cancers in humans and dogs, reinforcing earlier research that found significant overlaps between cancer development in cats and people. The findings also add to a wider picture of how closely domestic cats and humans are connected, from shared environments and health risks to the behaviours researchers continue to study today.
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of disease and death in cats, yet scientists have historically known relatively little about the genetic changes driving these illnesses.
Dr Geoffrey Wood, professor of pathobiology at the University of Guelph and co-senior author of the study, said there had previously been very little understanding of the genetics behind cancer in domestic cats.
Researchers identified many of the same cancer-driving genes already associated with cancers in humans and dogs. One of the most significant findings involved feline mammary tumours, which showed genetic similarities to human breast cancer.
The gene most frequently altered in feline mammary tumours was FBXW7, with mutations appearing in more than half of the tumours examined during the study.
Researchers noted that FBXW7 mutations are associated with poorer outcomes in human breast cancer, a pattern that closely matched what was observed in cats.
The study also found similarities between feline and human cancers affecting the blood, bones, lungs, skin, gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system.
Scientists believe the findings may also help researchers better understand how shared environmental exposures influence cancer risk. Because cats often live in the same environments as their owners, some cancer risks may be linked to common factors affecting both species.
The research team also reported encouraging results involving chemotherapy. Laboratory testing suggested that certain chemotherapy drugs worked more effectively in mammary tumour samples carrying the mutated FBXW7 gene. Although those findings were limited to tissue samples rather than living patients, researchers say the discovery could help guide future treatment research for breast cancer in both animals and humans.
The full study was published in Science and represents the first large-scale effort to genetically profile cancers in domestic cats.
Have you noticed how often medical discoveries emerge from research involving animals? Explore more science and health reporting from EyeOnLondon.
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