Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs, yet there are no established screening paradigms for early detection. Liquid biopsy methods that interrogate cancer-derived genomic alterations in cell-free DNA in blood are being adopted for multi-cancer early detection in human medicine and are now available for veterinary use. The CANcer Detection in Dogs (CANDiD) study is an international, multi-center clinical study designed to validate the performance of a novel multi-cancer early detection “liquid biopsy” test developed for noninvasive detection and characterization of cancer in dogs using next-generation sequencing (NGS) of blood-derived DNA; study results are reported here. In total, 1,358 cancer-diagnosed and presumably cancer-free dogs were enrolled in the study, representing the range of breeds, weights, ages, and cancer types seen in routine clinical practice; 1,100 subjects met inclusion criteria for analysis and were used in the validation of the test. Overall, the liquid biopsy test demonstrated a 54.7% (95% CI: 49.3–60.0%) sensitivity and a 98.5% (95% CI: 97.0–99.3%) specificity. For three of the most aggressive canine cancers (lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma), the detection rate was 85.4% (95% CI: 78.4–90.9%); and for eight of the most common canine cancers (lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, soft tissue sarcoma, mast cell tumor, mammary gland carcinoma, anal sac adenocarcinoma, malignant melanoma), the detection rate was 61.9% (95% CI: 55.3–68.1%). The test detected cancer signal in patients representing 30 distinct cancer types and provided a Cancer Signal Origin prediction for a subset of patients with hematological malignancies. Furthermore, the test accurately detected cancer signal in four presumably cancer-free subjects before the onset of clinical signs, further supporting the utility of liquid biopsy as an early detection test. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that NGS-based liquid biopsy can offer a novel option for noninvasive multi-cancer detection in dogs.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of timing of analysis, collection tube type and repeated opening of sample tubes on venous PCO2, pH, HCO3, and base excess (BE) results.
Design: Prospective experimental study, paired sample analysis.
Setting: Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
Animals: Twenty dogs.
Interventions: Jugular venous blood samples.
Measurements and main results: PCO2, pH, HCO3, and BE were determined immediately following collection (control) and at selected times up to 30 minutes after placement in either screw top or vacuum heparin collection tubes. A different set of screw top and vacuum heparin collection tubes were sampled repeatedly over time for up to 15 minutes.
In the screw top delayed analysis group, only pH changed significantly at one time point. PCO2 decreased significantly in all other groups and resulted in a significant reciprocal pH change in the vacuum tubes with either delayed single analysis or repeated sampling. HCO3 and BE declined significantly in multi‐sampled vacuum tubes and HCO3 also decreased significantly in multi‐sampled screw top tubes.
Conclusions: Analysis of acid–base status is optimally performed on freshly drawn blood. However, when it is anticipated there will be a delay in analysis of samples kept at room temperature, the use of 2.0 mL plastic screw top heparin anticoagulant tubes may result in fewer pre‐analytical errors than 3.5 mL glass vacuum tubes.
Harmful social norms and lack of knowledge contribute to risky pregnancies in older and high-parity women in low- and middle-income countries. A social and behavior change communication resource combining technical guidance with tangible client and provider materials was designed to address and prevent such pregnancies in Niger and Togo.
Hispanic immigrant health disparities are among the highest in the nation, especially related to obesity and access to health services. Healthy Fit (En Forma Saludable) is a health promotion program that leverages public health department infrastructure to address these disparities through the use of three key innovations explored in this article: community health workers (CHWs), motivational interviewing (MI), and vouchers for free preventative health services. CHWs trained in MI conduct a health screening and then distribute preventive service vouchers and health resources as needed based on screening results. Vouchers cover breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening, and several vaccinations including flu and human papillomavirus. Resources to support exercise, to support a healthy diet, to quit smoking, and to reduce risky drinking are also distributed as needed. CHWs then use MI to address perceived barriers and strengthen intrinsic motivation to make use of the health resources. Integrating these strategies provides a low-cost approach to promote healthy behavior in an underserved immigrant population.
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