Purdue University

Cancer is a major cause of death in older pet dogs and cats. Cancer is most often a disease of older age. As our dogs and cats maintain their health better and live to older ages, they are at risk for cancer development. With more than 70 million pet dogs in the United States, cancer is a growing challenge to pet animals, their families, and to veterinarians. Cancer remains a major cause of suffering and death in people as well, taking the lives of more than half a million people each year in the United States. Our mission is to change this. As veterinarians, it is obvious that our work is aimed at helping our canine and feline companions. Our work is also aimed at benefiting human cancer patients. This is possible because some specific forms of naturally-occurring cancer in pet dogs closely mimic that same form of cancer in humans. Therefore, information gained from the study of cancer in animals provides important information in the fight against human cancer.

The Purdue Comparative Oncology Program (PCOP) in the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University was formed in 1979 with the goal of improving the outlook for pet animals and humans with cancer. The program: (1) provides compassionate care for more than 1,000 pet animals with cancer each year at the Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, (2) generates important information that is leading to clinical trials of new therapies in humans with cancer and improved care for pet animals with cancer, and (3) educates veterinary students, veterinary technician students, and veterinary oncology residents. A tremendous opportunity exists for the comparative nature of the work because specific forms of naturally-occurring cancer in pet animals very closely mimic those same forms of cancer in humans. Therefore, when a new successful approach to prevent or treat cancer in pet animals is identified, there is clear justification to evaluate this approach in humans.

The clinical oncology team at Purdue University is part of the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium (COTC). The COTC is part of the Comparative Oncology Program at the National Institute of Health. The COTC consist of veterinary oncologists all across the country that work together to perform clinical trials in dogs with cancer.


Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium (COTC)

Currently, more than 500,000 people in the United States have urinary bladder cancer. This disease detracts from quality of life and takes the lives of more than 16,000 people each year. Most deaths are due to the more aggressive form of bladder cancer, high grade, invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). Fortunately, many people with bladder cancer have a less aggressive form of the disease (lower grade, superficial bladder cancer) that is usually not life threatening. Urinary bladder cancer also affects pet dogs. Unfortunately, most dogs with bladder cancer have intermediate to high grade invasive TCC. Urinary obstruction and spread of the cancer has taken the lives of most dogs with TCC. As summarized below, however, we ARE making progress against this disease. A unique combination of epidemiological work, clinical studies in dogs, and complementary laboratory research is being used to tackle urinary bladder cancer. Studies have allowed us to learn some of causes of TCC in dogs, and this can lead to strategies to prevent the disease in the future. More effective ways to treat TCC in dogs have been identified. These new treatment approaches have extended survival and improved the quality of life of dogs with TCC, AND these studies in pet dogs have resulted in clinical trials in humans with bladder cancer.

• Urinary Bladder Cancer
• Please see Folate Targeted Therapy