Every September 24, the World Cancer Research Day, a date to raise awareness about the need to promote cancer research and thus be able to continue facing the disease.
On this day, it is convenient to remember that animals also suffer from cancer and that, therefore, an effort must be made to raise awareness about cancer research Veterinary medicine, because in addition to saving the lives of animals, it can also end up saving people’s lives.
In Spain, according to the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), in 2020 there was 277.394 cases of cancer in humans, and it is estimated that in 2021 there will be 276,239 cases. However, it is more difficult to find an official figure in animals, as there are no reliable records.
However, there are some estimates. Elena Martinez de Merlo, responsible for the oncology and cytological diagnosis consultation of the Clinical Pathology Service of the Veterinary Clinical Hospital of the Complutense University of Madrid, explained to Animal’s Health Although there are not too many data on the incidence in Spain, some figures can be given by transferring the results of international studies.
Thus, the expert explained that it is estimated that the cancer is the cause of death from half the dogs, and that its incidence is even higher than that of humans, while in cats there is a higher percentage of incidence of malignant tumors.
Regarding the type of tumor, Martínez de Merlo pointed out that it is the breast cancer —Although the incidence is decreasing, as early sterilization is becoming more common—, followed by skin cancer.
A VETERINARY TREATMENT THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO HUMANS
Skin cancer in dogs has a novel treatment, Stelfonta from Virbac, which has been available in Spain since June 2020, and which consists of an injectable solution to treat canine mastocytoma —The most common form of skin tumor in dogs — which completely destroys the tumor in the 75% of cases with a single injection.
Stelfonta, developed by QBiotics, is also an example of research ‘One Health‘against cancer, since its molecule, the toglato de tigilanol, has started clinical trials in humans, and already has treated 22 patients to fight unresectable melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
And is that cancer is a field with many lines of research underway, both in medical and veterinary research, and also Advances in veterinary medicine may be helpful for human health, and vice versa.
In this sense, the expert in veterinary oncology Josep Pastor defended in an interview for Animal’s Health the importance of interdisciplinary work in oncology, and explained that he himself has collaborated with doctors at the Catalan Institute of Oncology or the Vall d’Hebron Hospital in different lines of cancer research.
Pastor has a diploma from the European College of Clinical Pathology (ECVCP) and is part of the Group of Veterinary Specialists in Oncology (GEVONC) of Avepa. In addition, it collaborates in LetiLab-Onco, the oncology advisory service of LETIPharma.
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