Canine mammary tumours as a model to study human breast cancer: most recent findings

Clinical and molecular similarities between canine mammary tumours and human breast cancer have been described in recent decades. Clinically, the similarities are very strong: spontaneous tumours, hormonal aetiology, age of onset and an identical course of the disease. The clinical characteristics that have an impact on the clinical outcome are also identical: tumour size, lymph node invasiveness and clinical stage. Nowadays, as far as human medicine is concerned, the goal is to identify prognostic factors, mainly at the molecular level, such as those involved in metastasis, which could be used as therapeutic targets to support a better outcome. Moreover, in this area, canine mammary tumours seem to mimic human breast cancer, as a range of similarities are found at the molecular level concerning the overexpression of steroid receptors, proliferation markers, epidermal growth factor, p53 supressor gene mutations, metalloproteinases, cyclooxygenases, among many others. Clinical and molecular data that support canine mammary tumours as a model to study human breast cancer are analysed in this review. Additionally, it is shown that some recent molecular targets in canine mammary tumours may be seen as indicators for similar research to be performed in the corresponding human disease.