Pet cats share key cancer genes with humans, study finds

Euronews · Feb 22, 2026 · Collected from RSS

Full Article

Cancer behaves similarly in cats and humans, and understanding how to treat one can help the other, a new study has found. Around 26 percent of European households, approximately around 139 million, own at least one cat, according to the latest data by the European Pet Industry Federation. Cancer ranks among the top causes of illness and death in cats, yet very little is known about how this develops, the researchers noted. Pet cats are exposed to some of the same environmental cancer risks as their owners, which means that some causes could be shared. “By comparing cancer genomics across different species, we gain a greater understanding of what causes cancer,” said Bailey Francis, co-first author at the genomics research institute Wellcome Sanger Institute. He added that one of the major findings of the study was that the genetic changes in cat cancer are similar to some that are seen in humans and dogs. “This could help experts in the veterinary field as well as those studying cancer in humans, showing that when knowledge and data flows between different disciplines, we can all benefit,” Francis said. The research team examined around 500 pet cats across sevencountries, and they sequenced their DNA from tissue samples that had already been taken for veterinary purposes. They looked for around 1,000 human cancer-associated genes, including 13 different types of cat cancer, which allowed them to compare the genetic changes to those seen in human and dog cancers. They found that for some cancer types, the genetic drivers in cats closely match those in humans. In total, 31 driver genes were pinpointed, opening doors for vet and human oncology research, the study noted. TP53 was the most frequently mutated gene in feline tumours, accounting for 33 percent of all tumours and mirroring human rates of 34 percent. These mutations promote cancer development by inactivating the gene’s function to suppress the tumour. Similarities in breast cancer The researchers found similarities between feline mammary cancers and human breast cancers. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and mammary carcinoma is one of the most common ones affecting female cats. Cancers in both cats and humans share driver genes that normally control cell growth. When mutated, they let tumours grow and spread unchecked. The most common driver gene in mammary carcinoma was FBXW7. In over 50 percent of cat tumour there was a change it this gene, which in humans is associated with worse prognosis. “Having access to such a large set of donated tissues allowed us to assess drug responses across tumour types in a way that hasn’t been possible at this scale before,” said Sven Rottenberg, co-senior author of the study at the University of Bern in Switzerland. He added that this can be a tool to help us identify potential novel therapeutic options that we hope will translate to the clinic one day, for both cats and humans.