Do cats hold the secret to a cancer cure? A study reveals a scientific surprise.
In a remarkable scientific discovery, researchers have found that domestic cats may help unlock the secrets of cancer development in humans, after a large-scale study showed clear genetic similarities between cat tumors and some types of human cancer.
The study, the first of its kind globally, analyzed the genetic makeup of tumors from nearly 500 domestic cats from five countries, and included 13 different types of cancer, including breast, blood, bone, lung, skin, digestive system and central nervous system cancers.
Do cats hold the secret to a cancer cure?
The results showed that the genetic mechanisms that trigger the development of cancer in cats are very similar to those found in humans, according to a report published by the Daily Mail.
For example, breast cancer is one of the most common and aggressive types of cancer in cats, and researchers have identified seven trigger genes whose mutations lead to the development of the disease.
The most common gene variant was FBXW7, found in over 50% of mammary tumors in cats. Interestingly, mutations in this gene in humans are also associated with a worse prognosis for breast cancer patients, a pattern similar to that observed in cats.
The study even found that some chemotherapy drugs were more effective in treating breast tumors in cats carrying changes in the FBXW7 gene.
The second most common gene was PIK3CA, which appeared in 47% of mammary tumors in cats, and is also a known genetic alteration in human breast cancer.
Environmental factors shared between humans and their cats
Researchers believe the similarities extend beyond genes to the environment as well. Domestic cats live in the same spaces as their owners, meaning they are exposed to the same environmental factors, such as pollutants, chemicals, and different lifestyles.
Professor Jeffrey Wood of the University of Guelph in Ontario said: “The sharing of the human environment by pets may help scientists gain a deeper understanding of the causes of cancer in both sexes, and perhaps develop preventive strategies in the future.”
The research, published in the journal Science , involved scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, where the team analyzed about 1,000 genes associated with human cancer and compared them to samples of tumors and healthy tissues from cats.
“By comparing cancer genomes across different species, we gain a deeper understanding of the causes of cancer,” said Billy Francis, first co-author at the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
He added, “One of our most important findings is that the genetic changes in cat cancer are similar to some of the changes observed in humans and dogs.”
Dr. Louise van der Weyden, lead author at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “This is one of the most important developments in the field of feline oncology, and it means that the genetic makeup of domestic cat tumors is no longer a mystery.”
Although the study was conducted on laboratory tissue samples and still requires further research, its results open up promising prospects for the development of treatments that target specific genetic changes, whether in cats with breast cancer or in humans.
The team explained that future research exploring these genetic changes could lead to new knowledge, and possibly treatments for different types of cancer in all species.