Introduction

• Cancer is an important disease in pet dogs and is one of the major causes of death in insured dogs (Bonnett et al, 1997, Michell, 1999).
• In comparison with the incidence of human cancer there are both some striking similarities and differences. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and the mammary gland is a common site for tumor development in bitches. However carcinomas of the lung, large bowel and prostate, the most common human tumors excluding breast, do not feature highly in the canine population.
• Accurate figures for the incidence of tumors in the canine population are hard to come by but a study of insured dogs in the UK, showed the skin and soft tissues were the most common sites for tumor development with a standardized incidence rate of 1437 per 100,000 dog / year, followed by mammary, urogenital, lymphoid, endocrine, alimentary and oropharyngeal. Canine cutaneous histiocytoma Skin: histiocytoma was the most common single tumor type with a standardized incidence rate of 337 per 100,000 dog / year, followed by lipoma, adenoma, soft tissue sarcoma, mast cell tumor, and lymphosarcoma  (Dobson et al, 2002).

High risk breeds

Lymphoma

Mast cell tumor

Brain tumor

Conclusion

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Tabori U & Malkin D (2008) Risk stratification in cancer predisposition syndromes: lessons learned from novel molecular developments in Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Cancer Research 68 (7), 2053-2057 PubMed.
• Phillips J C, Stephenson B, Hauck M et al (2007) Heritability and segregation analysis of osteosarcoma in the Scottish deerhound. Genomics 90 (3), 354-363 PubMed.
• McNiel E A, Prink A L & O'Brien T D (2006) Evaluation of risk and clinical outcome of mast cell tumours in pug dogs. Vet Comp Oncol​ 4 (1), 2-8 PubMed.
• Murphy S, Sparkes A H, Blunden A S et al (2006) Effects of stage and number of tumours on prognosis of dogs with cutaneous mast cell tumours. Vet Rec 158 (9), 287-291 PubMed.
• Polton G A, Mowat V, Lee H C et al (2006) Breed, gender and neutering status of British dogs with anal sac gland carcinoma. Vet Comp Oncol​ 4 (3), 125-131 PubMed.
• Snyder J M, Shofer F S, Van Winkle T J et al (2006) Canine intracranial primary neoplasia: 173 cases (1986 2003). JVIM 20 (3), 669-675 PubMed.
• Modiano J F, Breen M, Burnett R C et al (2005) Distinct B-cell and T-cell lymphoproliferative disease prevalence among dog breeds indicates heritable risk. Cancer Research 65 (13), 5654-5661 PubMed.
• Edwards D S, Henley W E, Harding E F et al (2003) Breed incidence of lymphoma in a UK population of insured dogs. Vet Comp Oncol​ 1 (4), 200-206 PubMed.
• Proschowsky H F, Rugbjerg H, Ersbøll A K (2003) Morbidity of purebred dogs in Denmark. Prev Vet Med​ 58 (1-2), 53-62 PubMed.
• Affolter V K & Moore P F (2002) Localized and disseminated histiocytic sarcoma of dendritic cell origin in dogs. Vet Pathol 39 (1), 74-83 PubMed.
• Dobson J M, Samuel S, Milstein H et al (2002) Canine neoplasia in the UK: estimates of incidence rates from a population of insured dogs. JSAP 43 (6), 240-246 PubMed.
• Arnesen K, Gamlem H, Glattre E et al (2001) The Norwegian Canine Cancer Register 1990-1998. Report from the project "Cancer in the Dog". European Journal of Companion Animal Practice 11 (2), 159-69 VetMedResource.
• Morris J S, Bostock D E, McInnes E F et al (2000) Histopathological survey of neoplasms in flat-coated retrievers, 1990 1998. Vet Rec 147 (11), 291-295 PubMed.
• Michell A R (1999) Longevity of British breeds of dog and its relationships with sex, size, cardiovascular variables and disease. Vet Rec 145 (22), 625-629 PubMed.
• Bonnett B N, Egenvall A, Olson P et al (1997) Mortality in insured Swedish dogs: rates and causes of death in various breeds. Vet Rec 141 (2), 40-44 PubMed.
• Kerlin R L & Hendrick M J (1996) Malignant fibrous histiocytoma and malignant histiocytosis in the dog--convergent or divergent phenotypic differentiation? Vet Pathol 33 (6), 713-716 PubMed.
• Padgett G A, Madewell B R, Keller E T et al (1995) Inheritance of histiocytosis in Bernese mountain dogs. JSAP 36 (3), 93-98 PubMed.
• Teske E (1994) Canine malignant lymphoma: a review and comparison with human non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Vet Q 16 (4), 209-219 PubMed.
• Scanziani E, Giusti A M, Gualtieri M et al (1991) Gastric carcinoma in the Belgian Shepherd dog. JSAP 32 (9), 465-469 VetMedResource.
• Sullivan M, Lee R, Fisher E W et al (1987) A study of 31 cases of gastric carcinoma in dogs. Vet Rec 120 (4), 79-83 PubMed.
• Onions D E (1984) A prospective survey of familial canine lymphosarcoma. J Natl Cancer Inst​ 72 (4), 909-912 PubMed.
• Priester W A & McKay F W (1980) The occurrence of tumors in domestic animals. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr​ (54), 1-210 PubMed.
• Peters J A (1969) Canine mastocytoma: excess risk as related to ancestry. J Natl Cancer Inst​ 42 (3), 435-443 PubMed.
• Dorn C R, Taylor D O, Schneider R et al (1968) Survey of animal neoplasms in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, California. II. Cancer morbidity in dogs and cats from Alameda County. J Natl Cancer Inst​ 40 (2), 307-318 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Goldschmidt M H & Shofer F S (1992) Skin tumours of the cat and dog. Pub Pergamon Press, Oxford, New York.