The genes TP53 and SETD2 are often mutated in dogs suffering from skeletal cancer, according to a novel study led by Kerstin Lindblad-Toh (Uppsala University/SciLifeLab). The pattern found is similar to the ones in human skeletal cancers; clearly establishing that knowledge from canine studies can contribute to understanding of corresponding diagnoses in humans.

Skeletal cancer is most prevalent in children and adolescents, but also occur in adults. The disease often has an unfavorable prognosis, but is relatively rare, which makes it difficult to study in humans. In dogs, however, skeletal cancer is common.

In the current study, skeletal tumor samples from 66 dogs of three different breeds, Golden Retriever, Greyhound and Rottweiler, were sequenced. The results pinpoint eleven genes that are frequently mutated, of which the factors TP53 and SETD2 were found mutated in 83 percent and 21 percent of the dogs, respectively. TP53 is known to be mutated also in human skeletal cancer, whilst SETD2 is a novel finding.

Read a press release by Uppsala University (in Swedish)

Read the full paper in Cancer Research