Improving Early Detection of Canine Lymphoma

Studies indicate that microRNAs are valuable molecular tools for diagnosing many cancers, and measuring their levels in blood samples may be a promising, noninvasive way to predict disease before the onset of clinical signs. In this study, researchers will evaluate microRNA levels in blood samples collected from golden retrievers enrolled in Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study that developed lymphoma. Since lymphoma is the second most common cancer diagnosed in this cohort, and blood is collected before and after disease onset, these data and sample sets provide a unique opportunity to learn if changes in levels of serum microRNA biomarkers are predictive of lymphoma. If successful, the findings will inform the development of a cancer screening test.