Sebaceous gland carcinoma is a rare and difficult-to-diagnose cancer that affects up to one in 500,000 people annually. Its symptoms can resemble more common conditions like conjunctivitis, often delaying treatment. Cornelia Peterson, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVP, an assistant professor at the Cumming School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, emphasizes that this delay can allow the cancer to spread undetected. Peterson, who has been interested in ophthalmology since childhood due to her own vision issues, studies the mechanisms behind eye cancers in both animals and humans.
Read More
In June, Peterson received a 2026 Natalie V. Zucker Research Award from Tufts University School of Medicine, which provides funding for clinical research. Her ongoing research focuses on the MYC proto-oncogene, known to contribute to the malignancy of sebaceous gland carcinoma. Although scientists recognize MYC as a key factor in the disease, its precise role remains unclear. MYC is a transcription factor that regulates a variety of genes, and when overactive, it can lead to uncontrolled cell growth.
Recent DNA sequencing studies have revealed that many tumors associated with sebaceous gland carcinoma contain multiple copies of the MYC gene, suggesting a significant link to the cancer's development. In July, Peterson and her associates from Tufts and Johns Hopkins University published findings in the American Journal of Pathology, exploring MYC's effect in the human meibomian gland, where the carcinoma commonly occurs. Their experiments indicated that MYC is pivotal in cancerous processes here, particularly influencing lipids essential for both eye health and cancer cell proliferation.
Peterson's research also emphasizes the balance of lipid molecules in the meibomian gland, as cancer cells rely on lipids for growth and spreading. The Zucker Award will support an investigation into how various pharmaceutical agents alter lipid composition in treated cells. Given the rarity of sebaceous gland carcinoma, Peterson collaborates with colleagues in ophthalmology to access patient samples for her research.
Additionally, Peterson examines the meibomian gland tumors in dogs, which, unlike their human counterparts, typically appear benign. She believes understanding the differences in tumor characteristics between dogs and humans could provide insights into the cancer's development in humans and contribute valuable knowledge to the fields of veterinary and human medicine.