Sheep cancer breakthrough at Moredun

Scientists at Moredun Research Institute have made a breakthrough in their research into an infectious lung cancer of sheep, which might also help in the early diagnosis of lung cancer in humans.

Ovine Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma is a serious threat to the health and welfare of UK sheep. In general, affected flocks may lose 1 per cent to 5 per cent of animals a year, but losses of up to 20 per cent have been reported.

Moredun has been leading the research into this devastating disease for many years but has never been able to fully understand how the disease develops - especially in the early stages.

Dr Henny Martineau and her colleagues have now identified cells in the lungs of lambs that are targeted by the virus shortly after exposure to infection.

There might be a significant spin off from this discovery, as OPA has much in common with some kinds of human lung cancer - of which 40,000 new are diagnosed each year in the UK. "This work can also be used as a model for lung cancer in humans where it is difficult to detect early tumour growth before clinical signs are seen," said Martineau.