PanCancer: development of an advanced genetic panel for diagnosing and monitoring various types of cancer in dogs

• Grant number: 24/02168-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Agreement: CNPq
• Principal Investigator: Heidge Fukumasu
• Grantee: Heidge Fukumasu
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/09378-5 - Development of innovative therapies and diagnostic tools for veterinary oncology, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/16026-3 - PanCancer: development of an advanced genetic panel for diagnosis and monitoring of various types of cancer in dogs, BP.JD

Abstract

In veterinary medicine, histopathological analysis is still the most used exam in the diagnosis of neoplasms in dogs. However, significant challenges remain, both in determining the origin of neoplastic cells and in monitoring cancer patients, due to the limitations of this technique. Therefore, the development of more agile, efficient and less invasive diagnostic methods, suitable for incorporation into clinical routine, is of paramount importance. A "pan-cancer" approach involves analyzing the most frequently mutated genes and other genetic abnormalities common to most cancers, regardless of tumor origin. Thus, the objective is to develop a genetic sequencing panel for accurate diagnosis and monitoring of different canine cancers through liquid biopsy. To develop the panel, the main mutated genes and genetic abnormalities frequently associated with cancer in dogs will be selected based on a systematic review of the literature and comparative analysis. The panel will be created for amplification of these regions and subsequent sequencing on the Ion Genestudio S5 plus system. Bioinformatics analyzes will be performed to detect copy number variation and detect potential causal mutations. The initial validation of the panel will be carried out on neoplastic samples obtained from fresh or frozen tumor tissue and liquid biopsy samples from different tumor types for panel validation belonging to the LOCT-USP sample bank. In a future stage, a prospective experiment will be carried out to validate the use of the panel for monitoring minimal residual disease by liquid biopsy. (AU)