Canine Mammary Tumors: Classification, Biomarkers, Traditional and Personalized Therapies

Abstract

In recent years, many studies have focused their attention on the dog as a proper animal model for human cancer. In dogs, mammary tumors develop spontaneously, involving a complex interplay between tumor cells and the immune system and revealing several molecular and clinical similarities to human breast cancer. In this review, we summarized the major features of canine mammary tumor, risk factors, and the most important biomarkers used for diagnosis and treatment. Traditional therapy of mammary tumors in dogs includes surgery, which is the first choice, followed by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or hormonal therapy. However, these therapeutic strategies may not always be sufficient on their own; advancements in understanding cancer mechanisms and the development of innovative treatments offer hope for improved outcomes for oncologic patients. There is still a growing interest in the use of personalized medicine, which should play an irreplaceable role in the research not only in human cancer therapy, but also in veterinary oncology. Moreover, immunotherapy may represent a novel and promising therapeutic option in canine mammary cancers. The study of novel therapeutic approaches is essential for future research in both human and veterinary oncology.

Metronomic chemotherapy: bridging theory to clinical application in canine and feline oncology

“…Mastectomy remains the treatment of choice for malignant mammary tumours in dogs, however adjuvant MTDC with single or multiple cytotoxic drugs, such as cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, mitoxantrone, carboplatin and gemcitabine, has been described for lesions at risk of local recurrence or metastasis ( 120 ). Given the complexity of these tumours, novel therapeutic approaches have been investigated, namely multi-targeted therapies, such as MC combined with NSAIDs.…”

Enhancing the Anti-Tumor Efficacy of NK Cells on Canine Mammary Tumors through Resveratrol Activation

“…Traditional treatment approaches have primarily relied on surgical resection. Yet, malignant tumors often pose challenges, exhibiting high recurrence and metastasis rates, along with poor prognosis [ 1 ]. Moreover, due to the highly heterogeneous nature of canine mammary tumors, the efficacy of widely used chemotherapeutic drugs is limited, and their use can lead to substantial side effects [ 2 ].…”