Cancer Drugs for (and) Dogs

New Scientist reports, Sick American dogs get first shot at cancer drugs:

"Dogs with cancer in the US are now entitled to receive experimental drugs – before the drugs are available for humans. Twelve trials are under way on groups of 15 to 60 dogs, and in several of them cancers have disappeared.
We've had dramatic remissions in dogs with really aggressive cancers, says Chand Khanna, head of the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium newly formed in Bethesda, Maryland, by the US National Cancer Institute. We've also had responses allowing dogs to have their original cancers surgically removed, he says."


This is excellent news but we all know statistics reveals only what it wants to reveal.


"As well as looking after their sick dog, owners can help gather data for the researchers. "They're given notebooks so that they can complete assessments of quality of life, appetite, demeanour and perhaps even collect some specimens," says Khanna."


I guess this is a second hand life-style study which is a crucial factor for human and dog health but grossly underestimated. We need more studies like this to elighten the dog owners.


"Because owners carry on caring for the dogs, and because the hope is that pet dogs will get better as a result of the treatment, the approach also challenges claims by antivivisectionists that all experimentation on animals is wrong. I understand their sensitivities, and we've had informed discussions with individuals, and some do see the value of helping dogs with cancer in this way, says Khanna.

But some antivivisectionists think the trials will provide an excuse to try out risky procedures and drugs seen as unacceptably dangerous in people. This raises serious concerns with respect to what the dogs may have to endure, says Nedim Buyukmihci, a vet consultant to the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. Instead, he favours giving untested drugs directly to people."


Although there might be similar symptoms and cure for cancer between mammals, there should be more species specific studies. Dogs have been fortunate in the evolution game since they piggy back on the humans and its been a win-win game so far. Hope researchers keep their morals straight and we don't need Pepper the Dalamatian tragedy ever again. (I couldn't finish five part series on Pepper at Slate.com, its preposterous what we humans can do.)