Cancer affects millions of people worldwide, but it is not limited to humans: animals, including cats, are also affected. A significant new study has now revealed key genetic insights into cancer in cats, a finding that could lead to improved treatments for animals and people alike.
Scientists from several institutions collaborated on the project, the first large-scale genetic investigation to examine a wide range of cancers in cats.
Understanding cancer in cats
More than 10 million cats are kept as pets in the United Kingdom alone. Cancer is among the leading causes of disease and death in these animals, yet little has previously been understood about the genetic processes behind feline cancer.
To address this gap, the researchers analysed tumour samples from nearly 500 domestic cats in five countries. The tissue had already been collected by veterinarians for diagnostic testing.
The team sequenced DNA from the samples, investigating roughly 1,000 genes associated with cancer in humans.
Thirteen distinct types of feline cancer were included in the study. Researchers compared genetic alterations in cat tumours with those found in cancers affecting humans and dogs, revealing unexpected similarities.
Cats and humans share cancer genes
The study found that many genes which drive cancer in cats closely resemble those in humans. These are called driver genes because alterations to them can cause ordinary cells to become cancerous.
One notable finding concerned mammary carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer in cats. Researchers identified seven driver genes associated with this disease, with FBXW7 being the most frequent. More than half of the feline mammary tumours carried a mutation in this gene.
In human breast cancer, FBXW7 gene mutations are associated with a poorer prognosis. Cats appear to show the same trend, and this close match indicates that cancer may emerge through similar mechanisms in both species.
Key gene mutations discovered
A further frequent genetic alteration involved the PIK3CA gene. This mutation was identified in 47 percent of cat mammary tumours.
Doctors already use specialised medicines known as PI3K inhibitors to target PIK3CA mutations in human breast cancer. The finding therefore creates an opportunity to investigate comparable treatments for cats.
The team also identified shared genetic alterations in cancers affecting the blood, bone, lungs, skin, digestive system and central nervous system, in addition to breast cancer.
These results indicate that the biology of cancer can extend across species.
Drug tests show new hope
The research went beyond gene identification, as the scientists also assessed the effects of selected chemotherapy medicines on tumour samples in the laboratory.
Certain chemotherapy drugs seemed to work more effectively in mammary tumours containing the FBXW7 mutation.
As these tests were carried out on tissue samples rather than living animals, further studies remain necessary. Even so, the outcome offers hope for additional treatment approaches.
“Having access to such a large set of donated tissues allowed us to assess drug responses across tumour types, in a way that hasn’t been possible at this scale before,” noted Professor Sven Rottenberg from the University of Bern.
Testing at this scale helps scientists identify potential therapies that may eventually be used in clinics for pets and people.
One Medicine Approach
Cats live alongside humans, sharing homes, air and surroundings. Their exposure to pollution, chemicals and other potential risk factors may therefore overlap.
Research into cancer in pets could help scientists learn how environmental factors influence cancer risk in people.
“Despite domestic cats being common pets, there was very little known about the genetics of cancer in these animals, until now,” added Professor Geoffrey Wood from the Ontario Veterinary College.
“This study can help us understand more about why cancer develops in cats and humans, how the world around us influences cancer risk, and possibly find new ways to prevent and treat it.”
This collaborative research framework is called the One Medicine approach.
Shared learning improves treatment
The model promotes collaboration between veterinary professionals and doctors. Treatments effective in humans could be evaluated in cats, while knowledge gained from treating pet cats might inform human clinical trials.
“By comparing cancer genomics across different species, we gain a greater understanding of what causes cancer,” noted Bailey Francis from the Wellcome Sanger Institute.
“One of our major findings was that the genetic changes in cat cancer are similar to some that are seen in humans and dogs.”
“This could help experts in the veterinary field as well as those studying cancer in humans, showing that when knowledge and data flows between different disciplines, we can all benefit.”
Big step in cat cancer research
For many years, the genetics underlying cat tumours remained largely unexplored. This study changes that situation.
Researchers have created a freely accessible genomic resource to support future feline cancer research and direct new studies in the field.
The work represents one of the most significant advances in feline cancer research. By expanding knowledge of cancer in cats, scientists could come closer to more effective treatments for both pets and people.
“We can now begin to take the next steps forwards towards precision feline oncology, to catch up with the diagnostic and therapeutic options that are available for dogs with cancer, and ultimately one day, humans,” concluded Dr. Louise Van Der Weyden.
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