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. 2022 Mar;20(1):246-255.
doi: 10.1111/vco.12771. Epub 2021 Sep 16.

Risk of bladder cancer and lymphoma in dogs is associated with pollution indices by county of residence

Natalie Smith  1 , Kristofer Ross Luethcke  1 , Kaitlyn Craun  1 , Lauren Trepanier  1
Affiliations

Risk of bladder cancer and lymphoma in dogs is associated with pollution indices by county of residence

Natalie Smith et al. Vet Comp Oncol. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

Human urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are considered environmental cancers in people, but less is known about environment risk for UCC and lymphoma in dogs. The objective of this study was to determine whether dogs with these cancers, compared to unaffected control dogs, live in counties with higher tap water contaminants or higher levels of air pollution as measured by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and by National Air Toxics Assessment chemical exposure risk estimates. Dogs with available home addresses from two previously published case-control populations were included: 66 dogs with UCC and 70 unaffected controls; and 56 boxer dogs with lymphoma and 84 unaffected boxer controls. Tap water total trihalomethanes, which are water disinfection by-products, were more than threefold higher in UCC case counties of residence compared to controls (p < .0001), and a higher proportion of dogs with UCC lived in counties exceeding EPA ozone limits (41.8%) compared to controls (13.6% p = .0008). More boxers with lymphoma lived in counties exceeding EPA ozone limits (52.1%) compared to controls (29.0%; p = .018), with higher exposure risk estimates for airborne 1,3-butadiene and formaldehyde (p = .004-.005). These data support the hypothesis that tap water contaminants and airborne environmental pollutants contribute to the risk of both urothelial carcinoma and lymphoma in dogs. If these findings reflect causal relationships, then it is possible that tap water filtration units and more effective air pollution controls could decrease the overall incidence of these cancers in dogs.

Keywords: environmental risk; ozone; total trihalomethanes; transitional cell carcinoma; urothelial cell carcinoma.

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Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Average tap water total trihalomethane (TTHM) concentrations from public utility data (2013–2017) for counties of residence of dogs diagnosed with bladder cancer (UCC) and unaffected sex- and breed-matched older dogs. Data are shown for paired matches only. P < 0.0001 between groups.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:
Panel A. Average ground level ozone concentrations based on EPA data from 2013–2017 for counties of residence of dogs diagnosed with bladder cancer (UCC) and unaffected sex- and breed matched older dogs. P = 0.011 between groups. Panel B. Airborne particulate matter < 2.5 microns (PM2.5) from 2013–2017 in the same two populations. P = 0.71 between groups. Data are shown for paired matches only.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:
Panel A. Average ground level ozone concentrations based on EPA data from 2013–2017 for counties of residence of dogs diagnosed with bladder cancer (UCC) and unaffected sex- and breed matched older dogs. P = 0.011 between groups. Panel B. Airborne particulate matter < 2.5 microns (PM2.5) from 2013–2017 in the same two populations. P = 0.71 between groups. Data are shown for paired matches only.
Figure 3:
Figure 3:
Panel A. Average ground level ozone concentrations based on EPA data from 2015–2019 for counties of residence of boxer dogs with lymphoma and unaffected sex-matched older boxers. P = 0.006 between groups. Panel B. Airborne particulate matter < 2.5 microns (PM2.5) from 2015–2019 in the same two populations. P = 0.40 between groups.
Figure 3:
Figure 3:
Panel A. Average ground level ozone concentrations based on EPA data from 2015–2019 for counties of residence of boxer dogs with lymphoma and unaffected sex-matched older boxers. P = 0.006 between groups. Panel B. Airborne particulate matter < 2.5 microns (PM2.5) from 2015–2019 in the same two populations. P = 0.40 between groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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