Avacta Animal Health has developed a new system for diagnosing lymphoma in dogs, which is one of the most common cancers found in canines.
The company said in a press release that the test, dubbed the cLBT (canine lymphoma blood test), is the first of its kind to track the remission monitoring status of a dog undergoing chemotherapy. The test also diagnoses canine lymphoma in its early stages. The system was developed in conjunction with the University of Leicester.
 |
| Courtesy of Kintaiyo, CC BY 3.0 |
Lymphoma is one of the most common cancers to affect dogs, with certain breeds exhibiting extremely high prevalence. For example, Golden Retrievers in the U.S. have a 1 in 8 chance of developing lymphoma. The disease does however respond well to treatment with chemotherapy, particularly if diagnosed early, the company said.
The cLBT can detect the levels of two biomarkers: the acute phase proteins C-reactive protein and haptoglobin. Combining the two provides "a unique and powerful tool capable of assisting in the noninvasive diagnosis of lymphoma in dogs and in remission monitoring," according to the company.
- see the release