Canine Cancer Research

[Guest mcsheltie]

The Van Andel Institute is currently in clinical studies, working on a cure for canine cancer. They need blood and tumor samples to aid in this research. Several in our group has Osteo and will be donating blood and once gone, tumor cells will be collected as well. I am hoping GT members will also participate. They will soon have brochures that we can share and possible meetings or informational talks to attend. They plan to coordinate efforts with Dr Couto. Together they could be a force to beat this cancer. Institute's main web page - link Dog specific page - link Instructions for your vet can be found on this page.

Edited January 28, 2010 by mcsheltie

[MP_the4pack]

Dr. Couto has all the tissue samples from my OS girl and Fibro girl. I hope they can get a bit of those samples.

 

Geesh......Pearl's spleen weighed a frigin 5 lbs. There's plenty of tumor to go around!

[Guest mcsheltie]

Please feel free to crosspost.

 

Van Andel Research Institute Launches New Canine Cancer Studies!

The Van Andel Research Institute, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is

pleased to share that we have received a "Grand Opportunities" (GO

grant) from the National Institutes of Health. This is enabling the

Institute to expand its canine cancer studies, which started with a

project investigating hemangiosarcoma in Clumber spaniels 18 months

ago, into a much broader research program. We are launching a new

center of excellence in canine genetics and genomics. The first and

most important program is the Canine Hereditary Cancer Consortium

(CHCC ), which is headed by Drs. Jeff Trent (TGen), Nick Duesbery

(Van Andel Research Institute), and Paul Meltzer (National Cancer

Institute/NIH). The program is an unprecedented alliance of

scientists, veterinarians and physicians. Drs. Duesbery and Froman

are intensely focused on recruiting canine cancer patients for the

study through a variety of clinical outreach programs. Samples from

canine patients will not only allow the researchers to identify genes

responsible for breed-specific susceptibilities (such as

hemangiosarcoma in Clumber spaniels and osteosarcoma in Greyhounds),

but also to translate these discoveries into new and more precise

diagnostics and therapeutics for both canine and human cancer

patients. The ultimate goal is to take personalized medicine for dogs

to unscaled heights!

 

The CHCC has been developed to investigate five initial cancers in

dogs, which also affect people. The first five cancers we'll be

researching are:

Hemangiosarcoma

Osteo sarcoma

Lymphoma

Malignant histiocytosis

Melanoma (oral and digital)

 

In order to move forward, we need your help. The Institute will be

studying only naturally occurring tumors, so we need the assistance of

owners with dogs who develop any of the above types of cancer. We

are requesting fresh (NOT in formalin) tumor samples when the dog

has surgery, a biopsy or is euthanized. We also need 3 mls of blood

in an EDTA (purple top) tube. If a tumor sample is not immediately

available, (a dog who has had surgery, for example), a blood sample

is still useful.

 

If your dog is scheduled for surgery, please contact VARI ahead of

time so we can FedEx a tumor collection kit to your veterinarian. You

can contact the CHCC at 616.234.5569. You may also email CHCC@vai.org

Consent forms and more information for

veterinarians can be accessed and downloaded from our website,

http://www.vai.org/Research/Labs/CancerAndDevelopmentalCellBiology/chcc.aspxInaddition, we are collecting DNA samples froma wide variety of healthy,purebred dogs, for use as controls.Your help is greatly appreciated.Please feel free to crosspost.