New IWF-Supported Study Targets Osteosarcoma
03/23/2022

Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) is the number one killer of Irish Wolfhounds and despite all efforts the incidence has not decreased in over 40 years. It is unlikely that cancer will ever be completely eliminated but it may be possible to decrease its incidence, and the morbidity associated with this condition. It has been shown that a blood test can detect whether microscopic osteosarcoma remains in dogs after treatment. It is possible that the same test could detect an emerging bone tumor before any clinical signs of the cancer are present. Detecting the tumor in the its earliest stages could delay or possibly prevent tumor formation.

The first step in this research is the validation of the blood test to detect emerging osteosarcoma in clinically normal dogs. The Irish Wolfhound Foundation (IWF) has joined a consortium of 6 breed clubs and the AKC Canine Health Foundation to fund and support this research which is under the direction of Dr. Jaime Modiano at the University of Minnesota.

The IWF is also funding a pilot study to accelerate this project. This pilot study is now open to registration. Any healthy hound older than 4 1/2 years is eligible (one dog per household, contiguous US state residence). Your hound is not eligible if he or she has or had any cancer diagnosis or other chronic conditions. An initial group of 25 eligible hounds will be enrolled in the pilot study. Approximately 50 more hounds will be recruited when the main study begins to enroll.

Please consider helping with this research and if you have an eligible hound complete the preliminary enrollment as soon as possible.

Thank you!

Study details and links to the University of Minnesota enrollment page are on the Irish Wolfhound Foundation website at  https://www.iwfoundation.org/studies/Osteo-Early-Detection.

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