The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) has opened the UC Davis Translational Brain Tumor Center, aimed at advancing brain cancer treatments for both dogs and humans. This initiative combines expertise from the Weill School of Veterinary Medicine and the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center to expedite the translation of lab discoveries into clinical applications for patients.
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Michael Mison, associate dean for the Veterinary Medical Center, highlighted the center’s mission to provide families with better treatment options for brain tumors. Orin Bloch, director of the Brain Tumor Program at UC Davis, described the center as a significant advancement in the field, enhancing the university’s commitment to medical innovation.
The center opens with two clinical trials, both funded by the National Cancer Institute, targeting gliomas, a prevalent and complex type of brain tumor in both species. The first trial, named CARE, is exploring a new drug aimed at increasing glioma cells' sensitivity to radiation therapy, potentially allowing for more effective treatment without additional harm to patients. The second trial, PRISM, aims to monitor the progression of canine gliomas over time while compiling genetic and immune data to understand tumor subtypes better.
These trials not only facilitate access to advanced care for dog owners in the Sacramento area but also contribute to the overall understanding of glioma behaviors and treatment responses.
One participant, Luna, a 9-year-old Maltese therapy dog, recently benefited from a UC Davis trial investigating fluorescence-guided surgery for brain tumors. Luna has returned to her role providing comfort in various community settings.
Companion dogs serve as valuable models in cancer research due to their natural occurrence of tumors that mimic human cancers in genetic, neurological, and treatment response aspects. This research is designed to improve care for both dogs and humans.
The center features a multidisciplinary team of specialists in areas such as veterinary neuro-oncology and drug development, promoting collaboration from the outset to ensure effective research and treatment pathways. Christine Toedebusch, the center's director, emphasized the importance of integrated knowledge sharing among experts.
The establishment of this center underscores the growing recognition of veterinary medicine's role in biomedical research. It presents more treatment options for veterinarians and their clients, while also illustrating how a veterinary education can significantly impact medical advancements across species. Veterinarians can contact the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine for details about the CARE and PRISM trials.