Those of us with four-legged roommates might be sharing more than a couch with them.
A new study from researchers in England mapped feline cancer genetics and found that key mutations, like those that cause breast cancer, appear in both people and cats.
Because our pets tend to live in our homes, these similarities could shed light on shared cancer causes.
In the study, scientists looked at tumors from nearly 500 domestic cats. They screened close to 1,000 genes known for their link to human cancers, comparing tissue samples across 13 kinds of feline cancer. This was the first instance of an analysis of cat tumors conducted at this scale.
Patterns emerged between the genetic drivers of cancer in people and those in cats, with breast cancer being one of the most notable examples. Mammary carcinoma is a frequent, aggressive cancer among felines, and researchers found it was often provoked by a mutation in FBXW7, a gene whose mutations are associated with poor outcomes in people diagnosed with breast cancer.
Other similarities between human cancer mutations were found in tumors impacting the lungs, skin, bone and gastrointestinal system.
Researchers believe that genetic pathways that play starring roles in how cancer develops might be fruitful areas to study, yielding benefits for how we understand cancer across all species.
Currently, cancer remains one of the leading causes of illness and mortality in cats. Researchers from the study noted these similarities might mean some cancer treatments geared toward people might also work in our pets.
We like knowing that what helps us might help them, too.