What is PCOP?
The Purdue Comparative Oncology Program (PCOP) in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University was formed in 1979 with the goal of improving the outlook for pet animals and humans with cancer. Clinician scientists identify forms of naturally-occurring cancer in pet dogs that are similar to those same forms of cancer in humans. Subsequent studies are designed to be a "win-win-win" situation in that the individual dog with cancer benefits, the outlook for other dogs with that cancer may improve, and the successful results in dogs may lead to advances in humans with cancer. The PCOP is also committed to providing compassionate care for pet animals with cancer, and for training the comparative oncology team of the future including veterinarians, veterinary technicians, veterinary oncology specialists, and other scientists.
View presentations and videos about our research below:
Canine Bladder Cancer Clinic
The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine has a program aimed at helping dogs with urinary bladder cancer, especially dogs with the most common type of bladder cancer called transitional cell carcinoma, or TCC.
Purdue Comparative Oncology Program
The Purdue Comparative Oncology Program, also called PCOP, was formed with the mission to identify types of naturally-occuring cancer in pet animals that closely mimic those same types of cancer in people, and then to conduct studies that will improve the outlook for pet animals and humans with those cancers.
Purdue University Center for Cancer Research
Investigators working in cancer research in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine are part of a much larger cancer research community at Purdue University called the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research. The Purdue campus as a whole is an exciting and vibrant place to work in cancer research.
Basic Cancer Research Being Applied to Answer Clinical Questions
In addition to the work in the clinics diagnosing and treating cancer in pet dogs and cats, the Purdue Comparative Oncology team diligently works in a laboratory setting to discover new ways to prevent and treat cancer.
Cystoscopy
There are several different medical conditions in dogs that can cause blood in the urine, straining to urinate, and masses in the bladder. These include infection and inflammatory processes, and multiple types of tumors.
Developing Nanoparticles to Treat Bladder Cancer
Nanoparticles are cancer agents that are designed to enter and kill cancer cells, while not harming normal cells. They are aimed at molecular targets on the surface of and inside cancer cells.
