Yes, you read that correctly. The National Cancer Institute started a program about a year-and-a-half ago that allowed pet owners to enroll their dogs in clinical trials when conventional treatment wasn't working. The idea was to help pets survive who otherwise wouldn't, and hopefully learn something applicable to humans in the process.

Why dogs instead of mice?

Since dogs are genetically more similar to humans than mice, dogs develop many of the same cancers we do. In contrast, mice often have to be given the types of cancer researchers are interested in studying. In addition, cancer metastasizes in dogs like it does in us, and dogs are closer to humans in body weight. So if a particular treatment cures cancer in a dog, it may work on his owner, too.

Good idea?

Seems like a pretty good idea to me: stop giving cancer to animals, start trying to help animals who developed cancer naturally, and help humans in the process. What are your thoughts? Many of the institutions particpating in the program are nearing the end of their first trial, so we may be hearing more about this soon.

_{Source: Moya del Pino, Brittany. "Of Dogs and Men: Lessons on the Fight Against Cancer." NCI Cancer Bulletin. 20 Jun. 2006. 25 Jun. 2006 [http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin/NCI_Cancer_Bulletin_062006/page4].}

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