Feline cancer genetics study opens new research path
Scientists have taken a major step towards understanding how cancer develops in cats, after an international research team mapped changes in genetics in tumours from almost 500 domestic cats. The study, published in Science, brings together researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College, the University of Bern and other institutions. The team examined tumour tissue collected from cats in five countries, creating one of the largest cancer genetics studies of naturally occurring feline cancer to date.
The research addresses a longstanding gap in veterinary oncology. While scientists have built extensive genetic maps of human and canine cancers, comparatively little has been known about the mutations driving cancer in cats.
Researchers identified numerous cancer driver genes that are also involved in human and dog cancers. One notable finding came from feline mammary tumours, where more than half of the tumours examined carried mutations in FBXW7, a gene involved in regulating proteins that control cell growth and division.
The same gene is implicated in human breast cancer, where certain FBXW7 mutations have been associated with poorer outcomes. The similarities do not mean that cancers behave identically across species, but they provide researchers with a useful basis for further investigation.
The team also found genetic parallels between feline and human cancers affecting the blood, bones, lungs, skin, gastrointestinal system and central nervous system.
Because domestic cats share many aspects of their environment with people, naturally occurring cancer in cats could also provide opportunities to investigate how genetic and environmental factors interact. Potential exposures include household chemicals, air pollution and smoke.
The researchers tested some chemotherapy drugs against feline mammary tumour tissue and found differences in drug effectiveness associated with FBXW7 mutations. However, these experiments were conducted on tissue samples rather than living animals, so further research is needed before any treatment implications can be established.
The project has also produced a freely available genetic resource for future feline cancer research. Researchers say it could help advance precision oncology, where the molecular characteristics of an individual tumour are used to guide treatment.
The findings support the One Medicine approach, in which discoveries from human and veterinary medicine can inform research in both fields. For cat owners, the longer-term goal is more personalised cancer diagnosis and treatment for pets.
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