Developing A Test for Early Detection of Splenic Hemangiosarcoma

An estimated 50,000 dogs per year in the United States die from a common and aggressive cancer called hemangiosarcoma. In earlier studies conducted by this research team, the team noted that genetic material in the blood called microRNAs differed significantly between dogs with hemangiosarcoma of the spleen and healthy dogs at the time of the diagnosis. 

The team will use the annually collected serum samples from dogs enrolled in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study to explore when these microRNAs become altered in dogs diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma. Finally, the team aims to learn if microRNAs can detect hemangiosarcoma early in the disease process. The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study provides the only resource with enough pre-diagnostic and matched control serum samples to answer this question. The team hopes findings will inform the development of a simple, noninvasive blood test for early detection of splenic hemangiosarcoma that will lead to better treatments and improve outcomes for dogs with this often-fatal cancer.