Veterinary cancer epidemiology

Our plain-English summary of Veterinary cancer epidemiology, by W. Misdorp (The Veterinary Quarterly, 1996).

The study

• Author: W. Misdorp
• Journal: The Veterinary Quarterly
• Published: 1996;18(1):32-6
• Type of article: Review
• Cited by: 19 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

This paper reviews the impact of veterinary cancer epidemiology on veterinary oncology, human oncology, comparative oncology, and on the etiology and pathogenesis of cancer. The detection of clusters of diseased animals has led to the discovery of the infectious, viral-associated nature of malignant lymphoma of cats, poultry, and cattle. Although some viruses (FeLV, BLV) can, under experimental conditions, cross the species barrier, there is thus far no evidence for a zoonotic hazard for the human. The keeping of pet/birds or pigeons was found to be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in the bird keepers. Dogs appear to be useful 'sentinels' for environmental hazards (asbestos, dyes, passive smoking, insecticides). The complex pathogenesis of cancer was dissected in an epidemiologic-experimental study in cows, which had intestinal papillomas and carcinomas. Endogenous genetic factors may also play a role in pathogenesis, as is evidenced by species, breed (Boxer!), and family related aggregates of tumour diseases. Epidemiology may provide a means to prevent tumour diseases by, for example, withdrawal of hormones (mammary cancer) or isolation of tumour-virus positive animals (malignant lymphoma).

In plain English

This article was a narrative review of published studies on cancer in animals, mostly from the United States, and what they suggest for animal and human cancer. Topics included viruses and lymphoma in cats, poultry and cattle, pet birds and lung cancer in their keepers, and pets as 'sentinels' for environmental hazards. On asbestos, the review cited an earlier study. In that study, two factors were significantly associated with mesothelioma in pet dogs: an asbestos-related occupation or hobby of a household member (RR 3.5) and flea repellent use on the dog (RR 7.6). The review also cited a mesothelioma rate given as 2.6/100,000 in dairy calves from farms near asbestos-bearing bedrock. Large amounts of asbestos were reported in 7 of 10 tumours examined from these calves and in the lung of a cow with mesothelioma. The author wrote that dogs' shorter latency may let animal studies detect hazards such as asbestos-associated mesothelioma before people are affected. The author concluded that dogs appear to be useful sentinels for environmental hazards, including asbestos. No asbestos fiber types were named.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Narrative review of published veterinary cancer epidemiology studies
• Who was studied: Published studies of cancer in domestic animals (dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, pigs and others) and some related human studies; mostly performed in the United States unless otherwise stated; the number of studies reviewed is not stated
• Exposure: Among the reviewed studies, the asbestos exposures were an asbestos-related occupation or hobby of a dog's household member, and farms located near asbestos-bearing bedrock (calves). The review also covered passive smoking, insecticides, dyes, the herbicide 2.4D, viruses, bracken fern, hormones and pet birds. No asbestos fiber type was specified.
• Main results:
  • In a cited study of pet dogs (reference 13), two factors were significantly associated with mesothelioma: an asbestos-related occupation or hobby of a household member (RR 3.5) and use of flea repellents on the dog (RR 7.6).
  • In a cited report (reference 5), mesothelioma was found in relatively large numbers (2.6/100,000) in dairy calves from farms located near asbestos-bearing bedrock.
  • Large amounts of asbestos were found in 7 of 10 tumours examined from these calves (reference 5) and in the lung of a cow with mesothelioma (reference 47).
  • The author wrote that animal studies can detect a known human environmental hazard before it harms people because of the shorter latency time in dogs than in humans, for example in asbestos-associated mesotheliomas.
  • Studies of clusters of tumour cases led to the discovery that malignant lymphoma in cats, poultry (avian) and cattle has a viral cause.
  • In a cited Dutch study, bird keepers had a 6.7 times increased risk of lung cancer.
• The authors' conclusion: The author concluded that dogs appear to be useful sentinels for environmental hazards, including asbestos, dyes, passive smoking and insecticides.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The review excluded the epidemiology of poultry tumours.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Epidemiology, Etiology, Discovery, Lung Cancer, Carcinoma.

Related studies

• Does the taking of biopsies affect the metastatic potential of tumours? A systematic review of reports on veterinary and human cases and animal models — R. Klopfleisch, C. Sperling, et al. (2011)
• Tumours in calves: comparative aspects — W. Misdorp (2002)
• Congenital tumours and tumour-like lesions in domestic animals. 1. Cattle. A review — W. Misdorp (2002)
• Association of biogenic silica with disease — R. Newman (1986)
• Epidemiology of malignant mesothelioma--an outline — J.C. McDonald (2010)
• Use of death certificates in epidemiological studies, including occupational hazards: variations in discordance of different asbestos-associated diseases on best evidence ascertainment — I.J. Selikoff, H. Seidman (1992)

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