About this Research Topic
Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a malignant mesenchymal neoplasm representing the predominant bone cancer diagnosis in both human and canine patients. Canine OSA shares biological and clinical similarities with the human counterpart, although OSA incidence rates in dogs are significantly higher than in humans. Thus, the higher incidence rates of OSA in dogs contribute to the canine population being a valid model of human disease. In both humans and dogs, OSA treatment involves surgery to remove primary tumors, in combination with multi-drug neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy to prevent distant metastasis. However, prognosis of patients with high-grade OSA still remains relatively poor in both species, with survival rates not having significantly improved during the past two decades, despite the institution of conventional dose intensification strategies.
Given the failure to significantly enhance the efficacy of therapeutic approaches and therefore the outcome of OSA in humans and dogs in recent decades, novel treatment strategies are urgently needed to improve survival in both human and canine patients with OSA.
In light of this, the identification and validation of specific molecular pathways, as well as specific targets to block with drugs, can increase the development of new treatments and provide the basis for the development of a personalized approach to OSA therapy. Given the similarities between human and canine OSA, the identification of these specific altered pathways in canine OSA tumor could facilitate the establishment of improved treatment regimens in comparative oncology. Evidence also suggests that OSA is an immunogenic tumor, and development of immunotherapies for the treatment of micrometastases might improve long-term outcomes.
In this respect, this Research Topic aims to obtain novel valuable insights into OSA pathogenesis, disease progression and therapeutic management in comparative oncology by bringing together scientific contributions from multiple experts in this field of study. We welcome Original Research and Review articles from scientific investigators worldwide, focusing on the main aspects of canine OSA biology including:
• Physiopathology
• Genetics
• Prognostic and predictive biomarkers
• Conventional therapies
• Immunotherapy
• Pharmacogenomics
• Targeted therapy
Given the failure to significantly enhance the efficacy of therapeutic approaches and therefore the outcome of OSA in humans and dogs in recent decades, novel treatment strategies are urgently needed to improve survival in both human and canine patients with OSA.
In light of this, the identification and validation of specific molecular pathways, as well as specific targets to block with drugs, can increase the development of new treatments and provide the basis for the development of a personalized approach to OSA therapy. Given the similarities between human and canine OSA, the identification of these specific altered pathways in canine OSA tumor could facilitate the establishment of improved treatment regimens in comparative oncology. Evidence also suggests that OSA is an immunogenic tumor, and development of immunotherapies for the treatment of micrometastases might improve long-term outcomes.
In this respect, this Research Topic aims to obtain novel valuable insights into OSA pathogenesis, disease progression and therapeutic management in comparative oncology by bringing together scientific contributions from multiple experts in this field of study. We welcome Original Research and Review articles from scientific investigators worldwide, focusing on the main aspects of canine OSA biology including:
• Physiopathology
• Genetics
• Prognostic and predictive biomarkers
• Conventional therapies
• Immunotherapy
• Pharmacogenomics
• Targeted therapy
Keywords: animal model, comparative oncology, dog, osteosarcoma, therapy
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
