For families facing a brain tumor diagnosis - whether in a person or a beloved pet - the need for better treatments is urgent. A new UC Davis center is bringing together human and veterinary specialists to speed the development of those treatments.
The UC Davis Translational Brain Tumor Center connects expertise from the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine and UC Davis Health to study brain cancers across species. By combining laboratory research, veterinary clinical trials and human medicine, the center aims to shorten the path between scientific discoveries and treatments that can reach patients.
"Ultimately, success from this center will come back to the patient," said Dr. Michael Mison, associate dean for Veterinary Medical Center operations and chief veterinary medical officer. "It's the day when a family sitting across from one of our clinicians hears something they might not hear today: 'We now have better options.' That's why this matters."
Clinical Trials Offer New Options for Dogs
The center launches with clinical research already underway. Two National Cancer Institute-funded studies are recruiting dogs diagnosed with or suspected of having glioma, a type of brain tumor.
The CARE trial is evaluating an experimental drug intended to make glioma cells more vulnerable to radiation therapy. The PRISM trial is tracking the progression of canine gliomas and combining clinical information with genetic and immune profiling. Researchers hope the study will identify tumor subtypes that could eventually support more personalized treatment for dogs and more precise translation of findings to human patients.
Those trials join other cancer-related clinical trials available at the school. In June, the school profiled a certified therapy dog named Luna who received treatment through a clinical trial investigating fluorescence-guided surgery to remove canine brain tumors. The 9-year-old Maltese is back to work, bringing her calm nature to healthcare centers, schools, airports and other places.
For dog owners in the Sacramento region and beyond, the trials may provide access to specialized care, advanced imaging and investigational therapies. The information collected could also help researchers better understand why brain tumors grow, resist treatment and respond differently from one patient to another.
Why Study Brain Tumors in Dogs?
Many early cancer studies rely on laboratory models that cannot fully reproduce the complexity of naturally occurring disease.
Companion dogs develop brain tumors that share important characteristics with human cancers, including genetic changes, neurological symptoms, patterns of growth, treatment resistance and interactions with the immune system. Dogs also live in the same environments as people and represent a more genetically diverse population than laboratory animals.
Studying dogs receiving care for naturally occurring tumors allows researchers to evaluate new diagnostic tools and treatments under clinical conditions. The goal is not simply to use veterinary patients as models for human disease, but to develop knowledge and therapies that benefit both species.
"This center is something very exciting for us in the brain tumor research and treatment field," said Dr. Orin Bloch, director of the Brain Tumor Program at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor of neurological surgery, "and something that is elevating UC Davis to the next level."
Expertise Across UC Davis
The center is led by specialists in veterinary neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, human neuro-oncology and therapeutic development. The team is developing a framework in which insights can move among laboratory research, veterinary clinical trials and human medicine. The center also supports advanced imaging, molecular research, biobanking, multidisciplinary clinical care and education in comparative neuro-oncology.
"We have remarkable expertise across UC Davis," said Christine Toedebusch, the center's director and a veterinary clinician-scientist specializing in neurology and comparative neuro-oncology. "The greatest advances will come from connecting that expertise around shared questions. The center creates a structure for investigators and clinicians to work together from the beginning rather than waiting until a discovery is ready to be handed from one field to another."
Learn more about the UC Davis Translational Brain Tumor Center and its current canine brain tumor clinical trials.
