Post #5308

Cats May Hold the Key to Treating Human Cancer A large international study has mapped the genetic landscape of feline cancers for the first time, revealing striking similarities between tumor-driving mutations in cats, humans, and dogs. The genetics of cat tumors are no longer a “black box,” according to researchers behind a new study that represents one of the most significant advances in feline cancer research. Published in Science, the research provides the first large-scale genetic analysis of cancers in domestic cats. The findings could deepen scientific understanding of cancer in both animals and humans. The project has also produced a publicly available resource that other researchers can use to study the genetics of feline cancers. Cancer is one of the most common causes of illness and death in cats. Even so, scientists have historically had limited information about the genetic factors behind these diseases. That gap in knowledge is something the new study aims to address, says Dr. Geoffrey Wood, a pathobiology professor at the University of Guelph and co-senior author of the international research project. “Despite domestic cats being common pets, there was very little known about the genetics of cancer in these animals,” Wood says, “until now.” Source:SciTechDaily @EverythingScience