Philadelphia Dogs Trained to Detect Deadly Canine Cancer

A Breakthrough in Early Cancer Detection
Researchers in Philadelphia are tapping into one of nature’s most powerful diagnostic tools: a dog’s nose. At the Penn Vet Working Dog Center in South Philadelphia, specially trained dogs are learning to detect hemangiosarcoma — a fast-moving and often fatal canine cancer that frequently goes undiagnosed until it’s too late. Often referred to as a “silent killer,” the disease can grow unnoticed inside the body, leaving little time for treatment once symptoms appear.

Why Hemangiosarcoma Is So Dangerous
Hemangiosarcoma is particularly devastating because it rarely shows early warning signs. Tumors often develop internally and rupture suddenly, leading to life-threatening bleeding. By the time most dogs are diagnosed, the disease is already advanced. That reality is what drove researchers to focus on early detection — and to enlist dogs themselves in the fight.

How Dogs Are Helping Detect Cancer
In controlled training sessions, detection dogs are presented with multiple scent boxes, only one of which contains a blood serum sample from a dog with hemangiosarcoma. Using scent alone, the dogs identify the cancerous sample and are rewarded when they get it right. In the first phase of research, the dogs correctly identified cancer samples about 70% of the time — an encouraging result for an early-stage study.

From Dog Noses to Diagnostic Tests
The goal goes far beyond canine detection alone. Once dogs consistently identify cancer samples, researchers analyze those samples to pinpoint specific biological markers responsible for the scent. These markers could eventually be used to develop early screening tests — offering hope for earlier diagnoses, better outcomes for dogs, and potentially insights into human cancer detection as well.

A Powerful Partnership Between Science and Instinct
While the Working Dog Center already trains dogs to detect explosives, drugs and medical conditions, this project highlights how canine intuition and scientific research can work hand in hand. If successful, these dogs may help change the future of cancer detection — saving lives by finding disease before it strikes.