Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Obesity linked to inflammation in dog mammary tumors
By Lim, H Y et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2015·Department of Veterinary Pathology, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Obesity, expression of adipocytokines, and macrophage infiltration in canine mammary tumors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that overweight or obese female dogs, particularly those with mammary tumors, tend to develop these tumors at a younger age compared to lean dogs. The research showed that higher levels of certain inflammatory cells (macrophages) and lower levels of a protective protein (adiponectin) in these dogs were linked to worse outcomes, such as more aggressive tumors. This suggests that obesity may not only increase the risk of developing mammary cancer but also worsen its progression. Keeping your dog at a healthy weight could be important for reducing cancer risk and improving overall health.
People also search for: dog mammary tumor symptoms · obesity in dogs and cancer · how to help my dog lose weight
Abstract
Obesity influences the development, progression and prognosis of human breast cancer and canine mammary cancer (MC) but the precise underlying mechanism is not well-documented in the fields of either human or veterinary oncology. In the present study, the expression of major adipocytokines, including leptin, adiponectin, and leptin receptor (ObR) in benign (n = 28) and malignant (n = 70) canine mammary tumors was investigated by immunohistochemistry and on the basis of the subject's body condition score (BCS). To evaluate the relationship between obesity and chronic inflammation of the mammary gland, macrophages infiltrating within and around tumoral areas were counted. The mean age of MC development was lower in overweight or obese dogs (9.0 ± 1.8 years) than in lean dogs or optimal bodyweight (10.2 ± 2.9 years), and the evidence of lymphatic invasion of carcinoma cells was found more frequently in overweight or obese group than in lean or optimal groups. Decreased adiponectin expression and increased macrophage numbers in overweight or obese subjects were significantly correlated with factors related to a poor prognosis, such as high histological grade and lymphatic invasion. Leptin expression was correlated with progesterone receptor status, and ObR expression was correlated with estrogen receptor status of MCs, regardless of BCS. Macrophage infiltration within and around the tumor may play an important role in tumor progression and metastasis in obese female dogs and may represent a prognostic factor for canine MCs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25641553/