Updated June 10, 2026 – The search for a cure for hemangiosarcoma is moving faster than ever. Through the Hemangiosarcoma Initiative — a multiyear, multimillion-dollar commitment to advance prevention, detection, treatment, and potentially cures for this devastating cancer — Morris Animal Foundation has now funded twelve studies, with more on the way. The goal is to dramatically change the story of hemangiosarcoma from one with an ending of almost certain death to one with a new beginning.
Hemangiosarcoma has been on the Foundation’s radar for many years. This terrible cancer affects thousands of dogs each year and poses an emotional and financial burden for affected families. Hemangiosarcoma is a cancer of special interest in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. Initial data from this Study revealed an unexpectedly high rate of hemangiosarcoma in our cohort, prompting the Foundation to take swift action.
At the same time, development officers were hearing heartbreaking stories from donors. It was clear the time had come to act — by finding new treatments, developing early diagnostic tests, and deepening our understanding of how this cancer arises and spreads.
Our teams carefully considered which areas of research would offer the most promise for dogs, families, and veterinary professionals. We consulted with researchers, pet parents, and veterinarians, identifying urgent knowledge gaps.
As a result, we prioritized studies in:
- Early disease diagnosis
- New therapeutic approaches, either alone or paired with diagnostics to monitor treatment efficacy
- Genetics
Two calls for proposals, in 2022 and again in 2024, were sent to researchers around the world. We assembled expert geneticists, oncologists, surgeons, pathologists and cancer researchers to review and debate the merits of each proposal submitted. Ultimately, twelve projects were selected for funding.
What are the studies finding?
- Dr. Erin Dickerson, based at the University of Minnesota, is looking to see if hemangiosarcoma has different subtypes, and then determining if the subtypes have different sensitivities to chemotherapy and different long-term outcomes. The project is in progress but early results suggest there are subtypes with differing chemotherapy profiles.
- Dr. Andrea Pires dos Santos, Purdue University, is attempting to develop an early diagnostic test for hemangiosarcoma using molecules called microRNAs. The team has promising early results and are now looking at samples from the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study to validate their findings.
- Dr. Jong Hyuk Kim and team at the University of Florida are looking at a molecule found on the surface of hemangiosarcoma cells to see if it is a vulnerability that can be exploited by targeted chemotherapy. The team hopes to complete their analysis in the next six months.
- Dr. Frances Chen, based at the University of Massachusetts, is tackling the problem of inherited genes that make an individual at greater risk of developing hemangiosarcoma. She is studying the DNA sequence of hundreds of dogs to learn more about these genes to develop a statistical model that can be used by breeders to decrease the risk of hemangiosarcoma. Dr. Chen aims to complete her model in the next eight months.
- Dr. Jiho Kim of Protein Advances Incorporated Life Sciences has completed his study looking to see if canine hemangiosarcoma cells express a cell surface molecule that has been identified in some human cancers. Dr. Kim didn’t find the molecule, desmoglein-2, on hemangiosarcoma cells but he did find it on other serious cancers affecting dogs. The good news is that this molecule looks like a great target for chemotherapy.
- Dr. Alexandre Le Roux and team at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center recently received a second award building on their original work looking at a cell surface molecule, α6β4, that is found in higher numbers on hemangiosarcoma cells when compared to normal cells. The team is now looking at how the presence of α6β4 relates to survival, what genetic changes happen in the cancer when this integrin is present, and how it possibly helps cancer cells grow and spread. Second, the team will develop canine antibodies that can target the integrin α6β4. They will create two kinds of treatments with these antibodies: one with radioactive particles and one with chemotherapy drugs. Both will aim to kill cancer cells and should cause less harm to healthy tissues than current treatments.
- Dr. Shaying Zhao, University of Georgia, is also analyzing hemangiosarcoma cells for tumor-specific neoantigens, molecules unique to this tumor. Their goal is to identify these unique molecules as a first step toward developing a cancer vaccine that can target these antigens. The team is making great progress and hopes to complete their work in the next six months.
- A new study led by Dr. Clarissa Zamboni, based at the University of Milan, is testing whether small particles known as extracellular vesicles can be used to deliver chemotherapy directly to hemangiosarcoma cells.
- Dr. Ryan Senger, based at Virginia Tech, is taking a very different approach to developing an early diagnostic test by focusing on urine samples from dogs with and without cancer, including hemangiosarcoma. If successful, this could be a step toward developing a quick and cost-effective early diagnostic test.
- Dr. Cynthia Otto, University of Pennsylvania, is leveraging her expertise in working dog medicine to see if biodetection dogs can differentiate between blood samples of dogs with and without hemangiosarcoma as a step toward a new diagnostic test.
- Dr. Christoph Marycz and team at the International Institute of Translational Medicine, Poland are just beginning a study of how mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse, undergo changes due to hemangiosarcoma presence that result in abnormalities that can be detected in blood samples.
What’s Next?
Hemangiosarcoma research is accelerating. Early findings from our current studies are pointing toward new diagnostic targets and potential therapeutic pathways — from microRNA blood tests to urine biomarkers to cancer vaccines. The Foundation is preparing a third call for proposals to build on this momentum.
The dogs we love deserve better options than exist today. We're not done until they have them.
To learn more about hemangiosarcoma — including signs, symptoms, and stories from families affected by this disease — visit our hemangiosarcoma resources page.
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Q&A
What is hemangiosarcoma in dogs?
Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive cancer of the blood vessel walls that affects thousands of dogs every year. It is particularly common in golden retrievers, German shepherds, and Labrador retrievers. Because tumors often grow silently until they rupture, causing acute internal bleeding, most dogs are not diagnosed until the cancer is advanced — which is why early detection research is so critical.
What breeds are most at risk for hemangiosarcoma?
Golden retrievers, German shepherds, and Labrador retrievers are among the breeds with the highest rates of hemangiosarcoma. Data from the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study has been especially valuable in understanding how this cancer develops and spreads, and samples from the Study are actively being used in Foundation-funded research.
Is there a blood test or early diagnostic test for hemangiosarcoma in dogs?
There is currently no widely available early diagnostic test for hemangiosarcoma, but Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers are actively working to change that. Current projects are exploring microRNA blood tests, urine biomarker screening, and even trained biodetection dogs as possible paths to an earlier, more accessible diagnosis.
What treatments are available for hemangiosarcoma in dogs?
Surgery and chemotherapy are the primary treatment options today, but outcomes remain poor. Foundation-funded researchers are pursuing new therapeutic approaches, including targeted chemotherapy using cell surface molecules specific to hemangiosarcoma, antibody-based treatments, cancer vaccines, and drug delivery via extracellular vesicles — all aimed at improving survival and quality of life for affected dogs.
How is Morris Animal Foundation funding hemangiosarcoma research?
The Foundation launched the Hemangiosarcoma Initiative in 2023 as a multiyear, multimillion-dollar commitment to advance prevention, detection, treatment, and potentially cures for this cancer. Through two calls for proposals — in 2022 and 2024 — twelve projects have been selected for funding, with a third call in preparation.
