Diagnostic Cancer Screening
One in four dogs will develop cancer in their lifetime and lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in dogs. To help in the fight, PetScreen has developed the first ever cancer screen for canine lymphoma.

The big problem with cancer in dogs is that it usually goes unnoticed until it is too late. When dog cancer is discovered early, the chances of successful treatment are much greater. Routine screening can improve cancer care by helping pick up tumors that might otherwise be missed.

PetScreen is a pioneering company dedicated to improving cancer detection and treatment in pets. They have developed the first ever screen for lymphoma cancer in dogs and are now working on additional dog cancer screens for the other major canine cancer killers.

The lymphoma screen only needs a very small blood sample which is taken by your vet. You can book your dog’s lymphoma screen through their website using the online booking form. All you need to do then is to make an appointment with your vet to take the blood. They arrange the rest. The results will be sent to your vet directly in about two weeks who will then discuss the report with you. P.S.: We have already had our sample completed for Golden Alfie (so forming his baseline) and will now continue to monitor him every 6-12 months throughout his lifetime.

Combining Cancer Detection with Individualized Chemotherapy
PetScreen is one of a new generation of companies to utilize technologies which are emerging as a result of post genomic research. Using advanced bio-marker technology and the latest mass spectrometry, a serum sample can be rapidly analyzed to detect a ‘fingerprint’ which patterns proteins in the blood providing a convenient screening test for cancer.

The test is based on proteomic technology which looks for characteristic patterns of protein markers present in a serum sample. By looking for multiple markers, proteomics provides a means of detecting disease which produces higher sensitivity and specificity than conventional blood screening tests that rely only on single markers. The importance of proteomic detection of multiple markers is reflected by the importance placed on the technology by the US FDA to provide blood based screens for a variety of human cancers.

The screen will dramatically assist in the detection of cancer in companion animals, enabling malignancies to be picked up so that treatment can be started immediately. Relying on a small serum sample, the service is convenient and minimally invasive . . . making it ideal for regular yearly or bi-annual testing.

The problems associated with late detection of malignancies are well understood, and whilst proteomic screening in humans is still at an early stage, the concept and the technology very easily – and successfully – apply to companion animals.

Ideally a puppy would be sampled at twelve months which will allow us to establish a baseline profile to which subsequent samples can be compared. Once this animal reaches middle age, it is recommended that the screen be conducted annually, or even bi-annually in particularly high risk breeds, to maximize the chances of detecting lymphoma.

It is important to realize, however, that some forms of lymphoma are especially aggressive and a yearly or even bi-annual screen would not preclude a dog from developing the disease. However, the test can be helpful with some of the more elusive forms of lymphoma which occur in the intestinal tract or spine.

It is wise to remember that one of the best ways to screen our dogs is to pay close attention to them physically and behaviorally. Whenever a small bump or lump or swollen gland is noticed, it needs to be checked out by the vet right away. As soon as you notice your dog acting differently, having less energy, or showing other physical changes, that is the time to get him or her to the vet. A screening test is only able to tell you about a limited period of time. No one wants to have a false sense of security because of a test completed one or more months ago. 

If cancer is detected, PetScreen is able to provide a Directed Chemotherapy Assay (DCA) which highlights resistance from the start and identifies the treatment most likely to be effective for an individual patient. The DCA is analogous to a microbial antibiotic sensitivity test. It uses advanced cell culture techniques to grow malignant cells from a tumor biopsy. The cells are cultured with a range of different chemotherapeutic agents and the relative efficacy of each drug is measured. The results of the DCA service are available in seven days, providing a report showing possible sensitivity or resistance for each individual patient’s tumor.

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This article contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material available in my efforts to provide background knowledge on areas related to canine cancer. I believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this article is distributed without profit for educational purposes.