00811-A: Gene Expression Profiling of Canine Lymphocytic Leukemia
Grant Status: Closed
Grant Amount: $12,760.31
Anne Avery, DVM, PhD; Colorado State University
August 1, 2006 - January 30, 2007
Sponsor(s):
Breed(s): -All Dogs
Research Program Area: Oncology
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Abstract
Canine chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a cancer of lymphocytes that affects most breeds, but disproportionally affects Golden Retrievers. The disease is often an incidental finding in an otherwise healthy older dog. In some cases, dogs can live for several years without treatment, and in other cases dogs may die of their disease within months. One of the dilemmas facing clinicians and owners is whether to treat healthy dogs with expensive and toxic chemotherapy. Markers (proteins expressed by the cancerous lymphocytes) that would help predict a patient�s survival would be useful tools for making such decisions. Gene expression profiling is a method that allows an investigator to examine thousands of genes expressed by tumor cells simultaneously. When data from such experiments is coupled with clinical information about the patient, genes that predict outcome can be identified. Such approaches have been very successful in human medicine. The purpose of this study is to develop similar methods in dogs using resources that are available as a result of the canine genome project. Here we will use a small number of leukemias to establish the methods, but the long term objective is to carry out such analysis on a large number of leukemias. Our laboratory is in a uniquely strong position to use these tools because we receive hundreds of cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia each year for diagnostic testing, and we have access to a state of the art highly experienced microarray facility.Publication(s)
None at this time.
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