A study presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual finds that a gene therapy that’s good for your dog may be good for you. THe thersapy extended the lives of dogs with cancer may do the same for people.

The experimental treatment was tested ober 50 dogs with cancer and anemia. According to researcher4 Dr. Ruxandra Draghia-AkliIt, the treatment betters the quality of life for patients by increasing muscle strength and reducing common cancer complications such as weakness, weight loss and anemia.

“With our type of gene therapy, we can trick certain types of cells in the body to naturally produce specific hormones,” he said. The hormones have a effect muscle-building.

In the study, 54 percent of the dogs responded to gene therapy. The dogs who responded had a better quality of life, especially a better appetite, and their complications of chemotherapy were reduced.

84 percent of the dogs that responded lived longer than dogs that received a placebo or did not respond to the therapy.

Source
Endocrine Society