ABSTRACT
Molecular diagnostics have revolutionized human oncology to allow early detection, targeted therapy, monitoring throughout treatment, and evidence of recurrence. By identifying genetic signatures associated with cancers, liquid biopsy techniques have been developed to diagnose and monitor cancer in noninvasive or minimally invasive ways. These techniques offer new opportunities for improving cancer screening, diagnosis, and monitoring the impact of therapy on the patients over time. Liquid biopsy also drives drug development programs. Similar diagnostics hold promise for comparable results in the veterinary field. Several noninvasive/minimally invasive techniques have been described in veterinary medicine that could be referred to as liquid biopsy.
Subject(s)
Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Liquid Biopsy/veterinary , Neoplasms/veterinary , Animals , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/diagnosis , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/genetics , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/veterinary , Dog Diseases/drug therapy , Dog Diseases/genetics , Dogs , Early Detection of Cancer/methods , Early Detection of Cancer/veterinary , Female , Humans , Leukemia/diagnosis , Leukemia/veterinary , Liquid Biopsy/methods , Lymphoma/diagnosis , Lymphoma/drug therapy , Lymphoma/veterinary , Male , Molecular Targeted Therapy/veterinary , Mutation , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/genetics , Urethral Neoplasms/diagnosis , Urethral Neoplasms/genetics , Urethral Neoplasms/veterinary , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/veterinaryABSTRACT
Cancer is increasingly more common. Several tests for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in companion animals have been developed. Screening tests discussed include those for lymphoid neoplasia, hemangiosarcoma, and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. None of these tests should be used in isolation for diagnosis. Vincristine and doxorubicin are mainstays in the treatment of canine lymphoma. However, it is important and accepted practice to test individuals of predisposed breeds for this mutation before administering these drugs in a lymphoma protocol.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/veterinary , Cat Diseases/diagnosis , Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Early Detection of Cancer/veterinary , Hemangiosarcoma/veterinary , Lymphoma/veterinary , Animals , Carcinoma, Transitional Cell/diagnosis , Cats , Dogs , Hemangiosarcoma/diagnosis , Lymphoma/diagnosisABSTRACT
Despite advances in chemotherapy and radiotherapy, cancer remains a disease of high morbidity and mortality in domestic animals. In parallel to the development of novel therapeutic interventions, appropriate biomarkers are required to detect early-stage disease and disease remission and relapse at both gross and molecular levels, and the effectiveness of therapy. The field of cancer pathogenesis has grown exponentially over the last decade, both in terms of our understanding of the underlying molecular events, and the technologies available to interrogate the cancer cell. This paper reviews the role of the telomerase enzyme and of telomere length as potential biomarkers in cancer. Furthermore, the potential role of cancer stem cells as biomarkers of malignancy and disease progression is assessed.
Subject(s)
Early Detection of Cancer/veterinary , Medical Oncology/methods , Neoplasms/veterinary , Veterinary Medicine/methods , Animals , Biomarkers, Tumor , Disease Progression , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/genetics , Telomerase/analysis , TelomereABSTRACT
The identification of biomarkers that distinguish diseased from normal individuals is of intense interest in many health-related fields. Potential applications for biomarkers in veterinary oncology include diagnosis, staging, prognosis and monitoring responses to therapy. By definition, effective biomarkers for cancer screening facilitate disease identification in sub-clinically affected patients and lead to subsequent improvements in clinical outcome. Although the methods and techniques of biomarker discovery and clinical application are translatable from humans to animals, veterinary medicine has lagged behind its human counterpart in several areas. Veterinarians have previously had a flawed understanding of how to use biomarker assays appropriately and have not had the positive influence on product research and development that could advance this field. The controversies, potentials biases, and considerations relative to the clinical application of biomarker assays for cancer screening are discussed in this review.
