Feline Genetics: A New Frontier for Human Cancer Care
Recent breakthroughs in veterinary oncology have revealed that domestic cats may hold the keys to treating human cancer.
By mapping the “oncogenome” of nearly 500 pet cats, an international team discovered that feline tumours frequently mirror human mutations, particularly in aggressive breast cancers.
Unlike laboratory rodents, household pets develop diseases spontaneously while sharing our homes. This makes them vital “sentinels” for environmental risks like air pollution and UV exposure. Researchers identified shared drivers in genes such as TP53, FBXW7, and PIK3CA, suggesting that biological patterns of malignancy transcend species.
The study highlights how real-world samples from diverse, non-pedigree cats can refine treatments. Successful 2025 trials using human drugs on feline oral carcinomas already demonstrate this cross-species potential.
Beyond medicine, the research offers a more ethical path forward by using donated biopsies rather than inducing illness in lab animals.
“Cat cancer genetics has totally been a black box up until now,” said lead researcher Dr Louise Van der Wayden. She noted that understanding cancer in any species “has got to be beneficial for everybody.”
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