Pet dogs with cancer have catalysed the translation of preclinical discoveries to first-in-human trials, highlighting the unique power of comparative oncology to study veterinary and human patients with cancer in parallel. However, the full potential of this approach has yet to be harnessed. Here we highlight accomplishments in oncology due to trials in dogs and discuss the next steps to advance comparative oncology. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution Access options Access through your institution Change institution Buy or subscribe Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $29.99 / 30 days cancel any time Learn more Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $209.00 per year only $17.42 per issue Learn more Buy this article Purchase on SpringerLink Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Additional access options: Log in Learn about institutional subscriptions Read our FAQs Contact customer support Fig. 1: Harnessing the reciprocal benefits in comparative oncology to maximize the value of trials across both species. ReferencesSiegel, R. L., Giaquinto, A. N. & Jemal, A. Cancer statistics, 2024. CA Cancer J. Clin. 74, 12–49 (2024).Article PubMed Google Scholar LeBlanc, A. K. & Mazcko, C. N. Improving human cancer therapy through the evaluation of pet dogs. Nat. Rev. Cancer 20, 727–742 (2020).Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar LeBlanc, A. K. et al. Perspectives from man’s best friend: National Academy of Medicine’s Workshop on Comparative Oncology. Sci. Transl. Med. 8, 324ps5 (2016).Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Mendez-Gomez, H. R. et al. RNA aggregates harness the danger response for potent cancer immunotherapy. Cell 187, 2521–2535.e21 (2024).Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Gedney, A. et al. Evaluation of the anti-tumour activity of Coriolus versicolor polysaccharopeptide (I’m-Yunity) alone or in combination with doxorubicin for canine splenic hemangiosarcoma. Vet. Comp. Oncol. 20, 688–696 (2022).Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Weishaar, K. M. et al. Multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of rabacfosadine in dogs with lymphoma. J. Vet. Intern. Med. 36, 215–226 (2022).Article PubMed Google Scholar Lenz, J. A. et al. Identification of immune suppressor candidates utilizing comparative transcriptional profiling in histiocytic sarcoma. Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 74, 61 (2025).Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Amin, S. B. et al. Comparative molecular life history of spontaneous canine and human gliomas. Cancer Cell 37, 243–257.e7 (2020).Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Mazcko, C. & Thomas, R. The establishment of the Pfizer-Canine Comparative Oncology and Genomics Consortium Biospecimen Repository. Vet. Sci. 2, 127–130 (2015).Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Wyngaarden, J. B. The clinical investigator as an endangered species. N. Engl. J. Med. 301, 1254–1259 (1979).Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Download referencesAcknowledgementsM.J.A. is supported by an NIH-NCI Career Development Award (K08CA252619). J.A.L. is supported by the Miso Harris Fund for Canine Cancer Research. The authors are very grateful for the constructive input during the drafting of this manuscript from L. King, A. LeBlanc, C. Mazcko, E. Puré and S. Volk.Author informationAuthors and AffiliationsDepartment of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USAJennifer A. Lenz & Matthew J. AthertonDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USAMatthew J. AthertonAuthorsJennifer A. LenzView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in PubMed Google ScholarMatthew J. AthertonView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in PubMed Google ScholarCorresponding authorsCorrespondence to Jennifer A. Lenz or Matthew J. Atherton.Ethics declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Rights and permissionsReprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articleLenz, J.A., Atherton, M.J. Maximizing the dual benefit of pet dogs in cancer trials. Nat Rev Cancer (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-025-00792-0Download citationPublished: 31 January 2025DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-025-00792-0Share this articleAnyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:Get shareable linkSorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative