STAT

How beagles and goldens could help researchers find the next cancer therapy for humans

Veterinarians are conducting rigorous clinical trials of new treatments with the hope they might eventually benefit humans as well as the family pet.

DAVIS, Calif. — Radiation oncologist Dr. Michael Kent desperately wants to beat cancer. He’s testing the latest high-tech treatments in clinical trials and using a multimillion-dollar linear accelerator so he can offer the best care to patients — whether they’re beagles, golden retrievers, or the black and white terrier mix named Moo he’s now treating for a recurrent tumor in her paw.

Kent is a veterinarian. Frustrated by the lack of treatment options for dogs with certain tumors and cancers that have metastasized, he’s searching hard for new treatments to extend the lives of his patients. But because the biology of dogs and humans is so similar, what he finds here at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine could well help treat human cancers as well.

“For a long time, we’ve looked at humans to see how to treat dogs,” Kent

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About MDMA For PTSD, A CRISPR Treatment For Blindness, And More
An FDA advisory panel will deliberate on June 4 whether to recommend approval for the first MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About MorphoSys Drug Risks, An AstraZeneca Admission, And More
MorphoSys is dealing with a safety issue with pelabresib, the experimental treatment for myelofibrosis and centerpiece of its proposed $3 billion acquisition by Novartis.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About An Amgen Obesity Drug, A Senate Bill On Shortages, And More
Amgen will no longer develop an early-stage obesity pill, and will instead focus on a more advanced injectable candidate to compete with Wegovy and Zepbound.

Related Books & Audiobooks