Unveiling the Small Secrets of Canine Lymphoma: Precision Oncology for Prognosis in Dogs"

• Grant number: 24/08666-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Heidge Fukumasu
• Grantee: Jéssika Cristina Chagas Lesbon
• 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

Abstract

The evaluation of cancer-related miRNA expression has facilitated the development of precision diagnostic and prognostic tests. Multicentric lymphoma is the most frequent hematopoietic cancer in dogs and exhibits highly variable behavior, as patients diagnosed with the same histological subtype may show different therapeutic responses and survival rates. Therefore, the aim of this project is to develop a prognostic test based on the detection of miRNAs capable of predicting the survival of dogs with multicentric lymphoma using real-time RT-PCR. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify the main miRNAs described for canine lymphoma. Subsequently, a screening phase will be performed to determine the expression of miRNAs in 40 samples of canine multicentric lymphoma obtained from fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and in 15 control samples of non-tumor peripheral lymph nodes from dogs. Following this, an analysis will be conducted to correlate miRNA detection with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates, along with the clinical indicators of the patients. These elements will be used to form the dataset for the machine learning algorithm methodology in the development of the test. Thus, this test aims to provide immediate results, informing the prognosis from the first consultation, to enhance therapy and facilitate veterinary clinical decision-making.