Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America
Health Research - Studies
ABOUT THE MALIGNANT HISTIOCYTOSIS RESEARCH STUDIES
The three laboratories listed below have been funded by the AKC-Canine Health Foundation. The doctors at these facilities collaborate on research pertaining to malignant hystiocytosis. All of the researchers listed below will share samples as long as you provide permission for them to do so on the sample submission forms provided by each organization.
HISTIOCYTOSIS RESEARCH STUDIES LIST
STUDY #1 - NORTH CAROLINA STATE RESEARCH PROJECT
Dr. Matthew Breen is currently conducting a study of the "Genetics of Canine Cancer" at the North Carolina State University - Raleigh, NC.
Any Bernese Mountain Dog with a suspected histiocytosis from known pedigrees can participate.
Submission instructions and the consent form can be found at www.breenlab.org
Contact Pat Long at pat@bmdinfo.org for additional information.
To participate, they request:
• Blood and tissue samples from cancer affected dogs.
• Blood from unaffected relatives of cancer -affected enrolled dogs.
• Dogs treated with chemotherapy - blood only
• Dogs given prednisone are still eligible to contribute both blood and tissue.
NOTE: Dr. Breen is also researching soft tissue sarcoma, lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, and osteosarcoma. Samples for these studies will continue to be recruited. (See Dr. Breen's website for more information.)
For more information on Dr. Matthew Breen's research visit http://www.breenlab.org
STUDY #2 - NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE PROJECT (HEALTHY BERNERS NEEDED TOO)
Research Organization: National Human Genome Research Institute Project (NHGRI)
Contact Person: Dr. Heidi Parker
Contact Phone: 301-451-9390 or 301-496-7299
Email Address: Dr. Parker or dog_genome@mail.nih.gov
Project Web Site: Not applicable.
ABOUT THIS RESEARCH PROJECT
Elaine Ostrander and Heidi Parker at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are studying the heritable factors involved in susceptibility to malignant histiocytosis (MH), and are using blood drawn from Bernese Mountain Dogs that have been or will be positively diagnosed with MH. They still need more samples for their work.
They need samples from:
• dogs that have had (or will have post-mortem) a positive diagnosis for histiocytosis
• 'control' samples from healthy Berners over the age of 9 that have not been diagnosed with cancer.
It is crucial to know if these control Berners ever develop malignant hystiocytosis, as well as any other type of cancer or tumor during their lifetime. So please inform the Dog Genome Project at NHGRI if this occurs at any time after the submission of the control sample.
WHAT IS NEEDED? (IF YOU PARTICIPATE)
If you suspect that your dog has MH, call (phone numbers listed above) for a free kit. The kit includes two blood collection tubes with yellow tops marked 10cc of ACD Solution, and submission instructions. Your vet can also supply or acquire the tubes by contacting the researchers.
The scientists also need a copy of the pedigree for all dogs in the study at least through the grandparents.
STUDY #3 - EUROPE - CNRS - UNIVERSITÉ DE RENNES RESEARCH PROJECT (FRANCE) (HEALTHY BERNERS NEEDED TOO)
HISTIOCYTOSIS - UNIVERSITÉ DE RENNES - FRANCE/EUROPE
Research Organization: CNRS / Université de Rennes
Contact Person: Dr. Catherine André or Dr. Benoit Hédan
Contact Phone: 02 23 23 45 09 (from France)
+ 33 2 23 23 45 09 (from abroad)
Email Address: catherine.andre@univ-rennes1.fr or benoit.hedan@univ-rennes1.fr
Biobank sample manager: cani-dna@univ-rennes1.fr
Project Web Site: http://dog-genetics.genouest.org
ABOUT THIS RESEARCH PROJECT
Catherine André and Benoit Hédan at the Université of Rennes in France are doing research to better characterize the clinical forms of histiocytoses affecting BMDs, and to search for the genetic causes of these diseases, especially the cancer form Histiocytic Sarcoma (HS, also called Malignant Histiocytosis). They are using blood drawn from Bernese Mountain Dogs that are diagnosed with HS, as well as samples from affected and unaffected dogs that are related.
They hope to identify the genes involved in Histiocytic Sarcoma, to benefit Bernese, other affected dog breeds, and also humans affected by this very rare cancer, for better diagnosis, prediction, and treatments.
WHAT IS NEEDED? (IF YOU PARTICIPATE)
If your BMD is over 10 years of age and has never been diagnosed with any cancer: a blood sample is useful as a control (it is essential that you contact the researchers if your dog is later diagnosed with any form of histiocytosis or any cancer).
If your BMD presents symptoms of Histiocytic Sarcoma: a blood sample from your dog and relatives is needed.
The following items are required:
• 5 ml of blood in EDTA (lilac top) tubes (name, breed and sex, written on the tube)
• pedigree information of each dog (the AKC number for US dogs)
• a note from the vet indicating the clinical status of the dog
HOW TO BEGIN
If Histiocytic sarcoma is suspected, it is necessary to have pathology done to establish whether the dog is definitely affected and to provide the pathology reports. All information will be kept confidential.
Please send blood samples at room temperature by rapid delivery mail.
If your BMD is affected with Histiocytic sarcoma, please contact the researchers (shown above) for further information about submitting tissue samples.
From Europe, send to:
Dr. Catherine André and Dr. Benoit Hédan
UMR6061, CNRS/ Université de Rennes 1
Faculté de Médecine
2, Av. Léon Bernard
35043 Rennes Cedex, France
Note: the researchers are also studying any other cancers in BMDs (lymphoma, mastocytoma, osteosarcoma, melanoma, etc). In these situations, the same samples are being recruited (5ml Blood in EDTA tubes; for tissue samples, please contact the researchers).
See the website for more information: http://dog-genetics.genouest.org
HISTIOCYTOSIS RESEARCH STUDIES LIST
STUDY #1 - NORTH CAROLINA STATE RESEARCH PROJECT
Dr. Matthew Breen is currently conducting a study of the "Genetics of Canine Cancer" at the North Carolina State University - Raleigh, NC.
Any Bernese Mountain Dog with a suspected histiocytosis from known pedigrees can participate.
Submission instructions and the consent form can be found at www.breenlab.org
Contact Pat Long at pat@bmdinfo.org for additional information.
To participate, they request:
• Blood and tissue samples from cancer affected dogs.
• Blood from unaffected relatives of cancer -affected enrolled dogs.
• Dogs treated with chemotherapy - blood only
• Dogs given prednisone are still eligible to contribute both blood and tissue.
NOTE: Dr. Breen is also researching soft tissue sarcoma, lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, and osteosarcoma. Samples for these studies will continue to be recruited. (See Dr. Breen's website for more information.)
For more information on Dr. Matthew Breen's research visit http://www.breenlab.org
STUDY #2 - NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE PROJECT (HEALTHY BERNERS NEEDED TOO)
Research Organization: National Human Genome Research Institute Project (NHGRI)
Contact Person: Dr. Heidi Parker
Contact Phone: 301-451-9390 or 301-496-7299
Email Address: Dr. Parker or dog_genome@mail.nih.gov
Project Web Site: Not applicable.
ABOUT THIS RESEARCH PROJECT
Elaine Ostrander and Heidi Parker at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are studying the heritable factors involved in susceptibility to malignant histiocytosis (MH), and are using blood drawn from Bernese Mountain Dogs that have been or will be positively diagnosed with MH. They still need more samples for their work.
They need samples from:
• dogs that have had (or will have post-mortem) a positive diagnosis for histiocytosis
• 'control' samples from healthy Berners over the age of 9 that have not been diagnosed with cancer.
It is crucial to know if these control Berners ever develop malignant hystiocytosis, as well as any other type of cancer or tumor during their lifetime. So please inform the Dog Genome Project at NHGRI if this occurs at any time after the submission of the control sample.
WHAT IS NEEDED? (IF YOU PARTICIPATE)
If you suspect that your dog has MH, call (phone numbers listed above) for a free kit. The kit includes two blood collection tubes with yellow tops marked 10cc of ACD Solution, and submission instructions. Your vet can also supply or acquire the tubes by contacting the researchers.
The scientists also need a copy of the pedigree for all dogs in the study at least through the grandparents.
STUDY #3 - EUROPE - CNRS - UNIVERSITÉ DE RENNES RESEARCH PROJECT (FRANCE) (HEALTHY BERNERS NEEDED TOO)
HISTIOCYTOSIS - UNIVERSITÉ DE RENNES - FRANCE/EUROPE
Research Organization: CNRS / Université de Rennes
Contact Person: Dr. Catherine André or Dr. Benoit Hédan
Contact Phone: 02 23 23 45 09 (from France)
+ 33 2 23 23 45 09 (from abroad)
Email Address: catherine.andre@univ-rennes1.fr or benoit.hedan@univ-rennes1.fr
Biobank sample manager: cani-dna@univ-rennes1.fr
Project Web Site: http://dog-genetics.genouest.org
ABOUT THIS RESEARCH PROJECT
Catherine André and Benoit Hédan at the Université of Rennes in France are doing research to better characterize the clinical forms of histiocytoses affecting BMDs, and to search for the genetic causes of these diseases, especially the cancer form Histiocytic Sarcoma (HS, also called Malignant Histiocytosis). They are using blood drawn from Bernese Mountain Dogs that are diagnosed with HS, as well as samples from affected and unaffected dogs that are related.
They hope to identify the genes involved in Histiocytic Sarcoma, to benefit Bernese, other affected dog breeds, and also humans affected by this very rare cancer, for better diagnosis, prediction, and treatments.
WHAT IS NEEDED? (IF YOU PARTICIPATE)
If your BMD is over 10 years of age and has never been diagnosed with any cancer: a blood sample is useful as a control (it is essential that you contact the researchers if your dog is later diagnosed with any form of histiocytosis or any cancer).
If your BMD presents symptoms of Histiocytic Sarcoma: a blood sample from your dog and relatives is needed.
The following items are required:
• 5 ml of blood in EDTA (lilac top) tubes (name, breed and sex, written on the tube)
• pedigree information of each dog (the AKC number for US dogs)
• a note from the vet indicating the clinical status of the dog
HOW TO BEGIN
If Histiocytic sarcoma is suspected, it is necessary to have pathology done to establish whether the dog is definitely affected and to provide the pathology reports. All information will be kept confidential.
Please send blood samples at room temperature by rapid delivery mail.
If your BMD is affected with Histiocytic sarcoma, please contact the researchers (shown above) for further information about submitting tissue samples.
From Europe, send to:
Dr. Catherine André and Dr. Benoit Hédan
UMR6061, CNRS/ Université de Rennes 1
Faculté de Médecine
2, Av. Léon Bernard
35043 Rennes Cedex, France
Note: the researchers are also studying any other cancers in BMDs (lymphoma, mastocytoma, osteosarcoma, melanoma, etc). In these situations, the same samples are being recruited (5ml Blood in EDTA tubes; for tissue samples, please contact the researchers).
See the website for more information: http://dog-genetics.genouest.org
