From Evolutionary Biology to Bedside and Beyond: A View of Comparative Oncology throughout the Translational Pipeline
Cancer is observed in nearly all multicellular species. While this disease of multicellular life has no doubt impacted the lives of countless organisms, from dinosaurs to humans, there also exists an opportunity to deepen our understanding of cancer by studying the disease using a comparative approach. This chapter provides a series of lessons learned by studying cancer across species, with a focus on how comparative oncology studies can be integrated into existing translational oncology processes in the human and veterinary settings to improve the development and testing of new treatments for cancer patients regardless of species. The chapter pinpoints key areas for further research investment to improve tools and resources to further advance the application of comparative oncology for translation of new cancer treatments.
