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Veterinary Sciences
Special Issues
Recent Developments in Small Animal Oncology
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Recent Developments in Small Animal Oncology

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Internal Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 3908

Editors

Dr. Barbara Brunetti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Bologna, Italy
Interests: veterinary oncology; canine and feline mammary carcinomas; HER2 oncogene; pulmonary carcinoma
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Luciana Mandrioli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 47042 Cesenatico, Italy
Interests: veterinary oncology; canine and feline meningiomas; small animal pituitary tumors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giovanni Pietro Burrai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Interests: canine and feline mammary tumors; papillomavirus-related tumors; immunohistochemistry; digital pathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Small animal oncology has seen remarkable progress with advancements in diagnostics, therapeutic approaches, and translational research. Emerging treatments, such as immunotherapy, targeted therapies, and cancer vaccines, are being adapted for a variety of small animal species, including dogs, cats, rabbits, and other companion animals. Novel therapeutic strategies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, DNA-based treatments, and autologous cancer vaccines, are showing promise in enhancing survival and quality of life. Recent innovations in diagnostic technologies, including liquid biopsy, molecular imaging, and AI-assisted analysis, are facilitating earlier and more accurate cancer detection. Furthermore, the field of comparative oncology continues to bridge human and veterinary medicine, driving discoveries that benefit both species. This Special Issue highlights the increasing importance of precision medicine and the One Health approach in veterinary oncology, welcoming original research, reviews, and clinical reports on novel therapies, diagnostic advancements, and translational models in small animal oncology.

Dr. Barbara Brunetti
Dr. Luciana Mandrioli
Dr. Giovanni Pietro Burrai
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • small animal oncology
  • immunotherapy
  • targeted therapy
  • cancer vaccine
  • liquid biopsy
  • comparative oncology
  • canine cancer
  • feline oncology
  • rabbit oncology
  • ferret cancer
  • pet guinea pig
  • pet hamster oncology
  • molecular diagnostics
  • One Health
  • precision medicine
  • veterinary oncology
  • translational research

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 852 KB  
Article
Molecular Characterization of Hotspot Mutations in HER2, BRAF, KRAS, and PIK3CA in Canine Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma from Japan
by Asumi Muramatsu, Tomokazu Nagashima, Kazuhiko Ochiai, Amo Ohnuma, Honoka Kawamura, Yukino Machida, Daigo Azakami, Makoto Bonkobara, Toshiyuki Ishiwata and Masaki Michishita
Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(6), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13060596 - 18 Jun 2026
Viewed by 734
Abstract
Primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma in dogs is rare, and effective systemic therapies remain limited. To evaluate the molecular basis of potential precision oncology approaches, hotspot mutations in HER2, BRAF, KRAS, and PIK3CA were analyzed in 20 surgically resected canine pulmonary adenocarcinomas and three canine [...] Read more.
Primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma in dogs is rare, and effective systemic therapies remain limited. To evaluate the molecular basis of potential precision oncology approaches, hotspot mutations in HER2, BRAF, KRAS, and PIK3CA were analyzed in 20 surgically resected canine pulmonary adenocarcinomas and three canine pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell lines. HER2 V659E and BRAF V595E mutations were each detected in 3/20 cases (15%), while KRAS G12V was detected in 1/20 cases (5%). No PIK3CA hotspot mutations were identified. The BRAF V595E mutation was additionally detected in the AZACL2 cell line. Functional analysis demonstrated increased sensitivity of AZACL2 cells to the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib and MEK inhibitors including trametinib, compared with BRAF wild-type cell lines. These findings support MAPK pathway dependency in BRAF-mutant canine pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The mutation spectrum was broadly consistent with previous reports, suggesting a conserved molecular landscape across geographic regions. Collectively, these data identify BRAF and HER2 alterations as clinically relevant candidates for molecular diagnostics and targeted therapy in canine pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Small Animal Oncology)
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16 pages, 1359 KB  
Article
Differential HER2 Expression Across Feline Nasal Carcinoma and Its Relationship with Proliferation and p53 Status
by Maral Anjomanibenisi, Ginevra Martinoli, Michele Olei, Barbara Bacci and Barbara Brunetti
Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(3), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13030212 - 25 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1959
Abstract
Feline nasal carcinomas are rare but clinically aggressive neoplasms. This study characterizes their histopathological features and evaluates HER2, p53, Ki-67, and PCNA expression using immunohistochemistry and digital image analysis, aiming to provide a comprehensive biological characterization with potential prognostic and therapeutic implications. Tumors [...] Read more.
Feline nasal carcinomas are rare but clinically aggressive neoplasms. This study characterizes their histopathological features and evaluates HER2, p53, Ki-67, and PCNA expression using immunohistochemistry and digital image analysis, aiming to provide a comprehensive biological characterization with potential prognostic and therapeutic implications. Tumors were classified into adenocarcinomas (AC) and non-adenocarcinomas (non-AC). Among the 23 cases examined, adenocarcinoma was the most common subtype (17 cases). HER2 was scored as 3+ in 7 cases, 2+ in 8 cases, 1+ in 5 cases, and 3 cases were scored 0. A statistically significant association was found between histological type and HER2 expression (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.02), with a higher prevalence of HER2 positivity in adenocarcinomas. Evaluation of p53 expression according to histological grouping showed a trend toward significance (p = 0.0593), with p53 positivity observed exclusively in non-AC. The Ki-67 index had a median of 4.4 (min 0.5, max 21.06), and the PCNA index had a median of 82.26 (min 19.55, max 100). No significant associations were identified between the Ki-67 labeling index and HER2 expression, histotype, and the inflammatory infiltrate. Finally, Pearson correlation analysis revealed no significant correlation between Ki-67 and PCNA indices (p = 0.32). The overexpression of HER2 lays the groundwork for the possible use of anti-HER2 targeted drugs in this tumor type, particularly in adenocarcinomas. These findings provide baseline immunohistochemical data for feline nasal carcinomas and highlight HER2 as a relevant biomarker for future diagnostic and therapeutic research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Small Animal Oncology)
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11 pages, 10307 KB  
Case Report
Chylopericardium in a Dog with Concurrent Chylothorax, Mesothelioma, and Bilateral Brachiocephalic Vein Thrombosis: A Case Report
by Tomohiro Yoshida, Kazuyuki Terai, Aki Takeuchi, Akari Hatanaka, Rio Hayashi, Yusuke Takahashi, Daisuke Ito, Hussein M. El-Husseiny, Takashi Tanaka and Ryou Tanaka
Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(7), 722; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13070722 - 22 Jul 2026
Viewed by 426
Abstract
Chylopericardium is an extremely rare disorder in dogs, and its underlying mechanisms and optimal management strategies remain poorly defined. This report describes a dog with chylopericardium complicated by concurrent chylothorax, bilateral brachiocephalic vein thrombosis, and mesothelioma. A 6-year-old neutered male Shiba Inu presented [...] Read more.
Chylopericardium is an extremely rare disorder in dogs, and its underlying mechanisms and optimal management strategies remain poorly defined. This report describes a dog with chylopericardium complicated by concurrent chylothorax, bilateral brachiocephalic vein thrombosis, and mesothelioma. A 6-year-old neutered male Shiba Inu presented with respiratory distress and was diagnosed with chylothorax and chylopericardium based on fluid analysis. Computed tomography revealed multiple thoracic ducts and bilateral brachiocephalic vein thrombosis but no definitive site of lymphatic leakage. Surgical management included thoracic duct ligation, subtotal pericardiectomy, and cisterna chyli ablation. Histopathological examination of resected pericardial and mediastinal tissues confirmed mesothelioma. Postoperatively, pleural effusion initially decreased but subsequently recurred, and intrathoracic chemotherapy with carboplatin was administered, resulting in long-term control of chylous effusion. Antithrombotic therapy was also initiated for venous thrombosis. The dog remained free of chylous fluid accumulation until death from an unrelated disease. This case highlights the complex interactions among lymphatic, vascular, and neoplastic disorders and suggests that a comprehensive, multimodal diagnostic and therapeutic approach may be effective for managing complicated cases of chylopericardium in dogs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Small Animal Oncology)
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