If common causes like disease, parasites, digestive disorders, and other common ailments have been ruled out, Dr. Liya Wang and other researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences suggest that systemic cancers should be considered. The research team also notes that cancer should be suspected if a horse doesn't respond well to traditional therapies, or if he begins to lose organ function.

Bloodwork run on horses that have cancer often comes back as nonspecific, but it may show that the horse is anemic and has elevated globulin concentrations and increased neutrophils. Though additional diagnostic work in search of conclusive results is available, it's often quite invasive and extensive.
The inability to find a reliable cancer biomarker often delays diagnosis, and results in ineffective treatments and poor chances of survival.

Wang and her team crafted a study to see if thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) could be used as a cancer biomarker in horses with lymphoma.

Serum TK1 is used as a cancer biomarker in humans. TK1 is important for DNA replication and cell proliferation. In healthy cells, TK1 degrades rapidly after cell division. In cancer cells, TK1 production is increased and leaks into the blood.

The researchers measured serum TK1 in seven horses with lymphoma, five horses suspected to have lymphoma, 107 horses with diseases that weren't tumor related, and 42 horses with no sign of disease. Serum TK1 was significantly higher in horses with lymphoma and suspected lymphoma. Serum TK1 was also elevated in the diseased horses without lymphoma.

The team concludes that these findings indicate that serum TK1 could be used as a cancer biomarker in horses.

Read the study here.

Read more at HorseTalk.

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The unbeaten G2 Beresford S. hero, who races for a Coolmore partnership with Westerberg and trainer Aidan O'Brien, was one of 11 colts declared two days out from the Knavesmire's Blue Riband prep. O'Brien also saddles Roman Empire (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and trainer Jim Bolger sends G3 Eyrefield S. victor Flying Visit (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}).

Mark Johnston's Group 1 winner Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) has also stood his ground, as has John and Thady Gosden's duo of the stakes-placed Uncle Bryn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and stakes winner Megallan (GB) (Kingman {GB}), and William Haggas's G3 bet365 Classic Trial hero Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Other Dante hopefuls are Roger Varian's listed-placed Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal), Godolphin's two-for-two Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) from the Charlie Appleby yard, and the field is rounded out by David Menuisier's listed winner Belloccio (Fr) (Belardo {Ire}) and Richard Fahey's stakes winner Pythagoras (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).

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“High Definition won't be going to Lingfield on Saturday–his bloods just weren't 100% this evening,” said O'Brien. I'm not sure where he might run. We'll just have to wait and see how things go over the coming days really. We'll have to play it by ear and see how he is when things settle down.”

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