HOW YOU CAN HELP...
You may mail a check made payable to...
FETCH a Cure
Please place "Amanda Benford Fund" on the memo line.
Then mail to...
The Amanda Benford Cure for Canine Cancer Fund
C/O George Benford
413 Black Diamond Drive
Wilmington, NC 28411
Update on progress in research August 2019
We just completed our statistical analysis of the project, and have some very exciting results!
To recap from before: We evaluated four different canine tumors for expression of EP4R (a receptor that helps to drive the inflammatory cascade implicated in multiple canine and human malignancies). All of the tumors evaluated, including osteosarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, apocrine gland anal sac adenocarcinoma, and transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, expressed EP4R.
When we last talked, we had evaluated a few normal control tissues to compare with the tumor tissues, but not enough to find statistical significance. With the additional, generous gift from Fetch-a-Cure, we were able to complete enough control samples to detect a statically different expression pattern between normal and cancer tissues for ALL tumor types!:
EP4 expression was statistically higher for osteosarcoma samples compared to normal nasal turbinate samples; statistically higher for skin squamous cell carcinoma compared to normal skin samples; and statistically higher in anal gland tumors compared to normal anal glands. Bladder tumor samples were found to have statistically less EP4 expression when compared to the normal bladder. Overall, osteosarcoma and bladder tumors had the least expression, and the skin squamous cell carcinomas and anal gland tumors had the most expression. Only the bladder tumor results had been statistically significant before we were able to expand the normal tissue groups, so we are so thankful to have Fetch-a-Cure's support!! A manuscript for publication is in process, and should be submitted later this summer.
Given this exciting news, we are planning evaluation of B and T-cell canine lymphoma, and in the future plan to look at cats as well. Due to the above information, we are also launching a clinical trial this fall with a drug that specifically blocks EP4 to see if there is clinical evidence of efficacy.
Please let me know if you need additional information, and again we are so appreciative of the support!
Have a lovely week,
Meg
Margaret Musser, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)
Assistant Professor of Oncology
Iowa State University
College of Veterinary Medicine