Canine Hemangiosarcoma Research

Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive and deadly cancer of blood vessel cells. Learn more about how your donation to the AKC Canine Health Foundation can help find better treatments for canine hemangiosarcoma and increase survival rates for our beloved dogs.

1889-G: Innovations in Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Cancer - Goldens Lead the Way

Lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma are major health problems in Golden Retrievers, causing both suffering and premature death. Through ongoing collaboration, Drs. Jaime Modiano, Matthew Breen, and Kerstin Lindblad-Toh have identified several regions of the genome that contain genetic heritable risk factors for lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma in Golden Retrievers. They have tumor-specific mutations that occur recurrently in both cancers, some of which are linked to duration of remission when treated with standard of care. Their results indicate that a few heritable genetic risk factors account for as much as 50% of the risk for these cancers. LEARN MORE>>>

1759: Disrupting the Differentiation of Cancer Stem Cells to Prevent the Spread of Hemangiosarcoma

Hemangiosarcoma is a rapidly fatal disease. The lifetime risk is alarmingly high for some breeds like Golden Retrievers (~20% will die of this disease) and Portuguese Water Dogs (~15% will die of this disease). The risk of hemangiosarcoma is not limited to just these breeds but is considered a research priority for 40 different breed Parent Clubs. Despite considerable efforts to find effective treatments, the outcome for dogs with hemangiosarcoma has changed very little over the past 30 years. Recent evidence suggests hemangiosarcoma conforms to the "cancer stem cell" model, where a defined subset of cells is responsible for initiating and maintaining the tumor. These cells are resistant to conventional therapies and are very adaptable, being able to survive in a variety of tissues in the body. LEARN MORE>>>

1911-A: Enhanced Hemangiosarcoma Therapy Using a Novel Combination of Drugs that Target Tumor Proliferation

Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is a common canine cancer of blood vessels for which there are few treatment options. In previous research Dr. Andersen showed two different drugs, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor and a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor, were effective in slowing the growth of HSA tumor cells. There is emerging evidence from human oncology that multiple drug targets are necessary to prevent drug resistance in cancer. Dr. Andersen's current objective is to test his previously evaluated drugs in combination in a rodent model of canine cancer. LEARN MORE>>>

1925-A: Discovery of Novel Micro-Ribonucleic Acids for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Canine Hemangiosarcoma

Hemangiosarcoma is a tumor of blood vessels, often located in the spleen, causing death in almost 100% of patients. The prognosis remains poor even if aggressive treatments are undertaken. It is currently impossible to differentiate hemangiosarcoma from other masses of the spleen without the expense of surgery and biopsy. A special problem for dog owners is the fact that the main differential diagnosis is splenic hematoma, which is benign and carries a good prognosis. Micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are small ribonucleic acids (RNAs) that prevent messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from creating proteins. MiRNAs have been linked with cancer and can act as tumor suppressors (prevent cell overgrowth), oncogenes (promote cell overgrowth), or both depending on the tumor type. LEARN MORE>>>

2081-A: Integrating Cutting-Edge Science with Scientific Training to Defeat Hemangiosarcoma

Canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is an intractable disease with no warning signs and no effective treatments. Contemporary research is overturning long-held, yet incorrect assumptions about its origins and biological behavior. One approach to accelerate progress is to bring young, talented scientists with no deep-held biases into the field and allow them to evaluate data with a fresh perspective. This project is designed to nurture one such young scientist under the joint mentorship of a stellar post-doc and a tech, and a senior established investigator. Ms. Ashley Rodriguez, a 10th grader at the Potomac School in McLean, VA, helped to conceive this project. She formulated the hypothesis that sphingosine-1 phosphate receptors (S1PR) contribute to the progression of HSA. She arranged for this collaboration to test her hypothesis in Dr. Modiano's lab, where she will train through an intensive summer experience. Thereafter, she will continue working at the Potomac School under the guidance of Dr. Cohen, her science teacher, while Dr. Modiano complements her efforts at the U of M. LEARN MORE>>>