Scope of comparative oncology in India

Sir/Madam, Dogs are the most preferable companion animal in biomedical research, and this is mostly due to their anatomical and physiological similarity with humans. Studies on dogs have opened a significant opportunity for translational research. The information obtained from these studies has a positive impact on advancing both human and animal health care. Therefore, in advanced countries aggressive collaborative efforts are being made to harness the benefits of comparative oncology studies. Unfortunately, the Indian cancer research and veterinary science communities have grossly ignored this field. Highlighting these issues the summary of a talk presented at the last Veterinary Pathology Congress, Bhubaneswar, India (November 21‐23; 2013) and subsequent discussions are provided here.