Canine melanoma study identifies genetic basis of disease; potential drug targets

As a veterinarian, Dr. Carolyn Duregger is familiar with the telltale signs of canine melanoma. So when she gave her own dog, Parker, a routine oral examination, the 1-centimeter-diameter discolored lump in the pup's upper right gums took her breath away. "It's an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis that I've seen many times. My stomach dropped. I literally gasped," said Dr. Duregger, recalling the moment she realized her fluffy, 9-year-old Wheaten terrier might be in big trouble. Dr. Duregger surgically removed the cancerous lump, and sta