Research Unveils Domestic Cat Cancer Genome

Although cancer is a common cause of death in domestic cats, little is known about the range of cancer genes in cat tumors, and how this range might compare with the oncogenome in people. Now, Bailey Francis and colleagues have sequenced cancer genes in 493 samples from 13 different types of feline cancer and matched healthy control tissue, gaining a clearer picture of the cat oncogenome and comparing the genes to known cancer-causing mutations in humans. Under the "One Medicine" approach, where cross-species comparisons aid both human and animal medicine, the researchers suggest several future research directions based on their findings. For instance, the cat oncogenome can be used to identify and test potentially actionable mutations for veterinary cancer treatments, but may also offer insights that could improve human cancer medicine. Domestic cats share the same environment and often share non-cancer comorbidities such as diabetes with their human companions, making them an important but underused resource for tumor research. In their comparison of nearly 1,000 human cancer genes with their feline versions, Francis et al. show that there are some similarly prevalent oncogenes in both species, such as TP53. The researchers also identified cancer-driving genes, tumor-predisposing genes, and some evidence for viral sequences in the cat oncogenome.