Your Dog Could Be The Key To Curing Cancer

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<p>(Photo: Courtesy of&nbsp;Danielle Balogh)</p>
<p>Maya is one of the dogs who participated in clinical trials for new cancer treatments at CSU&#039;s Flint Animal Cancer Center.</p>

Our canine pals can get many of the same kinds of cancer that people do. Often they often respond well to human cancer treatments, so pet dogs with naturally occurring cancer can join clinical trials of new treatments that may give them a chance at living longer and also contribute to a field of study called comparative oncology. Veterinarians at CSU's Flint Animal Cancer Center helped pioneer this work. Colorado’s new cancer plan mentions comparative oncology for the first time.

Journalist Arlene Weintraub writes about comparative oncology in her book “Heal: The Vital Role of Dogs in the Search for Cancer Cures.” She spoke with Nathan Heffel on Colorado Matters.