Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Genetic and environmental risks for bladder cancer in Scottish
By Luethcke, Katherine R et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2019·Department of Medical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Glutathione S-transferase theta genotypes and environmental exposures in the risk of canine transitional cell carcinoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Scottish Terriers was studied to understand the risk factors for transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), a type of bladder cancer. The research found that these dogs had a lower frequency of certain genetic variants compared to lower-risk breeds. Interestingly, TCC was linked to the use of household insecticides, suggesting that exposure to these chemicals may increase the risk of developing this cancer. However, living near a farm appeared to lower the risk. This information can help pet owners be more aware of environmental factors that could affect their dog's health.
People also search for: Scottish Terrier cancer risk · dog bladder cancer symptoms · household insecticides and dog health
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in humans is associated with environmental exposures and variants in glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes. Scottish Terriers have a high breed risk for TCC, but the relationship between genetic and environmental risk in dogs is not fully understood. HYPOTHESES: Scottish Terriers have a higher frequency of GST-theta variants compared to lower risk breeds. Dogs with TCC of any breed have a higher frequency of GST-theta variants along with higher environmental exposures, compared to controls. ANIMALS: One hundred and five Scottish Terriers and 68 controls from lower risk breeds; 69 dogs of various breeds with TCC, and 72 breed- and sex-matched unaffected geriatric dogs. METHODS: In this prospective case-control study, dogs were genotyped for 3 canine GST-theta variants: GSTT1 I2+28 G>A, a GSTT1 3'UTR haplotype, and GSTT5 Asp129_Gln130del. Owners of dogs with TCC and unaffected geriatric controls completed a household environmental questionnaire. RESULTS: The GSTT1 3'UTR haplotype and GSTT5 Asp129_Gln130del variants were significantly underrepresented in Scottish Terriers (minor allele frequency [MAF] = 0.000 for both), compared to dogs from lower risk breeds (MAF = 0.108 and 0.100; P ≤ .0002). Dogs with TCC did not differ from unaffected geriatric controls across the 3 investigated loci. Transitional cell carcinoma was associated with household insecticide use (odds ratio [OR] = 4.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.44-12.33, P = .02), and was negatively associated with proximity to a farm (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.25-0.99, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Low-activity GST-theta loci are unlikely contributors to TCC risk in dogs. Increased risk is associated with household insecticide use, and possibly with less rural households.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31008543/