Liquid Biopsy for Dogs: Explained
It is estimated that 1 in 3 digs will develop cancer in their lifetime. However, early detection can help your furry friend live longer. Liquid biopsy is a new test that allows for the early detection of cancer. Read below to learn more.
What Is Liquid Biopsy?
Liquid biopsy is a blood test that helps detect and diagnose cancer. This test can identify cancer at an earlier stage than other methods. Additionally, it is less invasive than many other tests. This is because it only requires a blood sample. Other methods require a surgical procedure or tissue samples.
How Does it Work?
The blood sample is separated into DNA fragments and cfDNA. When cells die, pieces of the DNA are left behind and become part of cfDNA. So, the goal is to determine if the cfDNA originated from healthy cells or cancer cells.
However, a positive liquid biopsy result can not make a cancer diagnosis independently. A physical exam and other methods will be used to pinpoint cancer. Likewise, a negative result does not definitively mean that your pal is cancer free.
What Types Of Cancer Can It Detect?
Liquid biopsy can detect mutations associated with cancers such as:
- bone osteosarcoma
- brain
- ear canal
- heart base
- kidney
- leukemia
- liver
- lung
- oral
- skin
- stomach
- thyroid
- urinary
Is It Recommended?
Liquid biopsy is recommended for dogs who are more at risk for developing cancer. This can be due to age, breed, or other reasons. Additionally, high-risk dogs should have an annual liquid biopsy test to screen for cancer. This precaution should be done even without symptoms.
Are There Alternatives?
Liquid biopsy is the only test that screens for many types of cancers. But, there are other ways of diagnosing cancer in dogs. These include a physical exam, bloodwork, imaging scans, biopsy procedures, or fine-needle aspiration. But, liquid biopsy can detect many different cancers at many different stages. However, as we mentioned, additional testing is needed to definitively diagnose cancer in your furry friend.
Liquid biopsy along with other diagnostic tests can help detect cancer in dogs. Liquid biopsy has the potential to save many lives. However, they will not replace traditional methods.