A new dawn has come for research and technology when it comes to surviving cancer. With the help of hundreds of volunteer dogs, dog cancer may be a thing of the past.
Spearheaded by Arizona State University, a nationwide clinical trial for the testing of a cancer vaccine is now on track with the participation of hundreds of volunteer dogs who were carefully screened and evaluated. Half of the dogs received the vaccine while the other half received the placebo. To remove human impact in the study, the dog owners were not made aware if their dog received the vaccine or the placebo.
The trial aims to test if the vaccine will be effective in preventing and delaying kinds of cancers in old healthy dogs. The study is relying on the 10% statistical possibility that the vaccine will work. All researchers are on deck as a significant success in this clinical trial will greatly affect the development of such similar immunization for humans.
The fact that cancer is the top cause of death in adult dogs led to dogs being chosen as volunteer species. The nature as to how dogs acquire cancer spontaneously as they age is similar to the manner that humans acquire cancer. In addition, canine cancers are also molecularly similar to human cancers. Researchers interpose that it is due to the fact that humans and dogs have shared environments.
All dogs received initial doses of four shots with yearly boosters for the next five years or as long as the study continues. Two outcomes are expected: first is that there will be lesser cancer incidents in dogs that took the vaccine and second is that there will be a significant delay in the onset of cancer in adult dogs. PETA approved of the study as no harm and no diseases were induced upon the dogs. All the dogs are to stay in their normal environments and no strain and limit to liberty whatsoever was applied.
The result of the trial is to be known in three to five years.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/21/health/cancer-vaccine-dog-trial/index.html