Published by Ontario Veterinary College (519) 824-4120, Ext. 54401

March 20, 2007

OVC Pet Trust Forum Highlights Cancer Initiative

The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and the OVC Pet Trust Fund are working to make history with a groundbreaking initiative to prevent and vanquish cancer in animals and people.
Friends and supporters will be introduced to the co-directors of the proposed institute for cancer investigation and clinical care at the annual OVC Pet Trust Forum on Saturday, March 24.
Dr. Brenda Coomber, a cancer investigator in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Dr. Paul Woods of the clinical oncology service in the OVC Teaching Hospital, will lead the team of scientists and practitioners at the institute, the first of its kind in Canada dedicated to providing comprehensive cancer care for companion animals and unlocking the deadly secrets of the disease for the benefit of all species.
“The institute will ensure that OVC continues to offer clients the most advanced and effective treatments available for their ailing animal companions, while training future generations of cancer specialists and supporting collaborative research that may one day help lead to more effective treatments,” said Dr. Elizabeth Stone, OVC dean.
“Dr. Coomber and Dr. Woods personify the unique strengths of OVC in increasing our understanding of the many facets of cancer. By combining our expertise in basic cancer biology and veterinary medicine, OVC is taking an integrative approach to cancer studies that cannot be matched in a human healthcare environment. I look forward to their leadership.”
Cancer now accounts for approximately one-third of the visits to the OVC Small Animal Clinic. In response to growing demand, the OVC Pet Trust Fund will raise $10 million over the next several years to support development of a world-class animal cancer centre that offers the latest in diagnostic imaging, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and investigational therapies.
“Cancer is primarily a disease of aging populations, and companion animals are no exception,” said Coomber.
“There is an increasing expectation from referring veterinarians and animal owners that cancer diagnosis and care for companion animals be at a level of sophistication and effectiveness similar to human medicine.”
Increasingly, veterinary medicine is a proving ground for new cancer therapies, allowing researchers to study naturally occurring cancer in dogs and cats, for example, and conduct clinical trials that parallel human research.
In addition to new facilities dedicated to the treatment of cancer, the institute will promote collaborative research efforts of cancer investigators working in several departments of OVC and the University of Guelph, as well as nearby research institutions in Waterloo, London, Hamilton and Toronto.
“Dogs, in particular, share our environments and develop many of the same types of cancers,” said Woods. “So not only do they deserve the very best in cancer care, ‘man’s best friend’ can also help us sniff out clues that increase our understanding of the disease.”

For more information, contact Barry Gunn, OVC communications officer, at 519-824-4120 Ext. 54414.