Spontaneous Remission of Cancer in Dogs

Dogs can develop cancer, just like humans. Cancer can strike a dog at any stage of life. The treatment for cancer in dogs is much like that for humans. And just like humans, dogs with cancer sometimes experience spontaneous remission of their cancers.

  1. Cancer

    • Cancer is a type of disease in which abnormal cells within a dog's body grow at an increased, uncontrolled rate. Cancer can occur in any part of a dog's body. It can be localized to one area, such as a specific organ, or it can spread throughout the dog's body.

      The cause of cancer is unknown, but it can be influenced by heredity and environmental factors, according to the ASPCA.

    Spontaneous Remission

    • When spontaneous remission occurs in a dog, the cancer in its body partially or completely disappears. The tumor might shrink slowly or rapidly, but the condition improves and, along with it, the dog's health.

      Spontaneous remission occurs without any medical intervention, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, according to "Cancer in Dogs and Cats: Medical and Surgical Management."

    Types and Rates

    • Spontaneous remission does not occur often. It has been seen in less then 2 percent of cases. It does not occur in all types of cancer.

      In dogs, spontaneous remission is mostly likely to occur with canine hystiocytomas and canine tranmissable venereal tumors. More rarely, tumors classified as neoplasms have been documented as disappearing on their own.

    Causes

    • The exact cause of spontaneous remission of cancer in dogs is not understood. It could be caused by the dog's immune system rejecting the tumor and fighting it off the way it fights off infections or viruses.

      It also could be caused by a function called apoptosis, or genetically programmed cell death. In this case, the tumor cells turn off and die on their own without any outside influence.

    Considerations

    • The spontaneous remission of cancer in dogs could eventually help scientists better understand cancer in humans and the search for more effective treatments. Dogs develop many of the same cancers in the same locations as humans and the biology of their tumors is very much like that of the tumors that develop in humans.

      After studying tumors in dogs and their spontaneous remission or treatment, scientists hope to translate that information to human treatment, according to the American Cancer Society.