Scientists have mapped the genetics of cat cancer on an unprecedented scale, revealing that many of the same driver genes fuel tumors in cats and humans. The international study, published in Science, analyzed tumor samples from almost 500 domestic cats and found that aggressive mammary cancers frequently carried mutations in FBXW7, a gene already tied to poor prognosis in human breast cancer. The researchers also saw parallels in cancers of the blood, bones, lungs, skin, gastrointestinal system, and central nervous system.
The work helps close a long-standing gap: cancer is a leading cause of illness and death in cats, yet far less was known about feline tumor genetics than about human or canine cancers. Because cats share living environments with people, studying their naturally occurring tumors may also shed light on how household chemicals, pollutants, and other exposures interact with genetics to influence cancer risk.
The findings support a "One Medicine" approach, where human and veterinary research inform each other. The team found that certain chemotherapy drugs were more effective against cat mammary tumors carrying the mutated FBXW7 gene, but only in tissue samples, so the results do not yet prove the same response in living cats or people. Still, the freely available genetic resource could help researchers test precision oncology strategies across species, and the authors note the data may also benefit canine cancer research.