A comparative approach to cancer imaging: What can we learn?

Comparative oncology research is gaining traction as a method for streamlining the drug discovery and development strategies currently in place worldwide. This approach employs the tumor-bearing pet dog as a relevant and complementary model alongside the traditional laboratory species to advance our collective knowledge of cancer biology and drug development. To complement ongoing efforts in this field, we propose expansion of comparative cancer imaging as a key component to drug discovery and development. Molecular imaging techniques allow for detection of disease-specific signals that provide individualized data to aid in patient selection, response to therapy, and prognostication. In this seminar, I will highlight comparative oncology studies that have employ molecular imaging techniques, demonstrating the value of spontaneous canine cancers as a research tool in drug and imaging agent development.