Cancer Early Detection

Cancer Early Detection Screening and the Neoplasia Index

Sadly 1 in 3 dogs will develop cancer, and 50% of dogs over 10 years of age will develop cancer. Diagnosing cancer can be challenging. Traditional cancer testing, such as biopsies can be invasive, time-consuming, and in some cases not even possible when cancer is suspected. Often by the time cancer is discovered, treatment can be very expensive and less successful, especially if cancer has spread.

When cancer is detected early stages, treatment can begin before cancer has a chance to spread and create more damage.

​​​​​​​Animal Healing Center is offering a new cancer early detection test termed the neoplasia index. This test was developed in collaboration by Tuffs University and the University of Missouri. It looks at a specific ratio of two blood markers, thymidine kinase (TK) and canine-specific C-reactive protein (CRP) to determine the pets’ likelihood of having or developing cancer in the near future.

TK is only expressed in certain cell types. Its presence in blood only occurs during dysregulated cell proliferation- a hallmark of cancer.

CRP is a general inflammatory marker. Levels of CRP in the blood correlate to the severity and duration of the inflammatory insult. CRP is elevated in a wide range of tumor types, except stage 1 mast cell tumors and may also remain low in the early stages of osteosarcoma/bone cancer.

Vitamin D plays a big role in preventing and fighting cancer. Vitamin D has been shown to increase the production of several tumor suppressor genes and can promote apoptosis, or programmed cancer cell death. Vitamin D also interferes with insulin-like growth factor and tumor growth factor ( TGFb). Vitamin D indirectly affects growing tumors by disrupting angiogenesis or new blood vessel production – the tumors nutritional supply – and inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

These tests can be invaluable for pets already diagnosed with cancer and undergoing therapy to monitor the effectiveness of their protocols, thus allowing for modification as early as possible.

Animal Healing Center encourages you to have your pet screened for early cancer detection.