Substance P a potent prognostic indicator for canine mammary tumours- a comparative study

Substance P, a neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous system, is considered as a biomarker of pain due to its key role in nociception. But recent researches have proved the increased expression of Substance P and its receptors in human breast cancers and their role in its progression. Canine mammary glands and spontaneously occurring neoplasms in them are considered best models for human breast cancers. Hence as a preliminary study, the present research work was undertaken to assess the level of Substance P in dogs with mammary tumours in comparison to healthy dogs. From the dogs brought for ovariohysterectomy and mammary tumour resection, 20 female dogs were selected for the study. Signalment and detailed history regarding each dog were recorded. All the dogs were subjected to thorough preanaesthetic evaluation and were grouped into Group I (mammary tumour) and II (control group) with 10 dogs each. Blood was collected from all the dogs and serum was separated and stored at -20ºC for estimation of substance P. The same was performed using sandwich ELISA technique with canine specific Substance P ELISA kit. The values obtained for Group I and II were statistically analysed using independent t- test. The level of substance P was significantly higher in the dogs of Group I when compared to Group II Keywords: Substance P, mammary tumour, dogs