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Heal: The Vital Role of Dogs in the Search for Cancer Cures
Drawn from extensive research, on-the-ground reporting, and personal experience, this book explores the fascinating role dogs are playing in the search for a cure for cancer. Learn how veterinarians and oncologists are working together to discover new treatments — cutting-edge therapies designed to help both dogs and people suffering from cancer. Heal introduces readers to the field of comparative oncology by describing several research projects aimed at finding new therapies for cancers that are similar in dogs and people, including lymphoma, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, melanoma, and gastric cancer. Weintraub, who lost her sister to gastric cancer, also writes about the emerging science behind the remarkable ability of dogs to sniff out early-stage cancer, and the efforts underway to translate that talent into diagnostic devices for early detection of the disease. In the course of bringing these dogs and their human companions to life, Weintraub takes her own personal journey from grief to healing, as she shows her readers how man’s best friend might be the key to unlocking the mysteries of cancer.
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2015
3 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
About the author
Arlene Weintraub
7 books11 followersArlene Weintraub is a journalist and author with 20 years of experience writing about health care, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Her new book is Heal: The Vital Role of Dogs in the Search for Cancer Cures. This book, from ECW Press brings to life the world of comparative oncology--the many ways dogs are helping in the war on cancer. Her first book, Selling the Fountain of Youth (Basic Books 2010), is an expose on the anti-aging industry.
Weintraub's freelance pieces have been published in the New York Times, US News & World Report, More, New Scientist, USA Today, Entrepreneur.com, FierceMarkets and other media outlets.
She was previously a senior health writer based out of the New York City headquarters of BusinessWeek, where she wrote hundreds of articles that explored both the science and business of health. She also worked as an editor for Xconomy.com, covering the biotech industry on the East Coast, as well as technology, life sciences and clean technology companies in the greater New York City area.
Weintraub has won awards from the New York Press Club, the Association of Health Care Journalists, the Foundation for Biomedical Research, and the American Society of Business Publication Editors.
Weintraub's freelance pieces have been published in the New York Times, US News & World Report, More, New Scientist, USA Today, Entrepreneur.com, FierceMarkets and other media outlets.
She was previously a senior health writer based out of the New York City headquarters of BusinessWeek, where she wrote hundreds of articles that explored both the science and business of health. She also worked as an editor for Xconomy.com, covering the biotech industry on the East Coast, as well as technology, life sciences and clean technology companies in the greater New York City area.
Weintraub has won awards from the New York Press Club, the Association of Health Care Journalists, the Foundation for Biomedical Research, and the American Society of Business Publication Editors.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 6, 2016
Cancers have become so prevalent that nearly everyone has been touched by the loss of a loved one, friend or beloved pet. A diagnosis of any sort of cancer still evokes intense feelings regardless of significant medical advances or treatments available.
Arlene Weintraub wrote Heal: The Vital Role of Dogs in the Search for Cancer Cures in response to the loss of her sister to gastric cancer. In the wake of her sister's death, she became preoccupied with unanswered questions. The result is this informative book about the latest in cancer research and dogs. Because of Ms. Weintraub's personal motivation in writing this book, we may all benefit from the knowledge she gained. Her writing about complex medical research is accessible and aided greatly by her background as a published science journalist.
The author brings to light several aspects of the field of comparative oncology and helps explain how clinical trials using pet dogs will reduce the need to use lab animals for medical research. Comparative oncology involves the use of experimental drugs that are actually designed to improve the lives of the animals. These valuable participants get top-of-the-line treatment while contributing to research that may lead to new cures for cancer. The Humane Society International supports comparative oncology for the reason that it aims to help the animals, unlike the drug testing protocols practiced in the past.
Innovation is sorely needed in a field that desperately needs advancements. Nine out of ten experimental drugs that cure lab rodents of their cancers fail in human trials. Studying cancer in primates is similarly restrictive since they are not as susceptible to cancer as humans. However, dogs develop cancers much like humans do. For many reasons pet dogs are perfect candidates to fill the void in medical research.
Arlene Weintraub writes: "I was surprised to learn that dogs get many of the same cancers we do, including lymphoma, melanoma, breast cancer, bone cancer, and gastric cancer. Texas A&M...was part of a rapidly expanding network of academic veterinary centers that recruit pets with cancer for 'translational' research—studies that have the potential to speed up the search for a cure for humans."
The author profiles the stories of some of the dogs and their people who contributed to the ground-breaking studies that began in 2001 at UC Davis. There is fascinating detail about the medical research of this period and the challenges of getting funding for new drugs and bringing them to market. At the end of the book there are numerous resources on various foundations for further information.
This book would appeal to people interested in the technical aspects of on-going cancer research both in humans and dogs. I was also drawn into the parts of the narrative that touched on the shared human feelings of love and loss due to these all too prevalent diseases. I was left wondering if the author would write a memoir giving an in-depth look at her own experiences that would no doubt have as much an impact as this book.
by Martha Meacham
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
Arlene Weintraub wrote Heal: The Vital Role of Dogs in the Search for Cancer Cures in response to the loss of her sister to gastric cancer. In the wake of her sister's death, she became preoccupied with unanswered questions. The result is this informative book about the latest in cancer research and dogs. Because of Ms. Weintraub's personal motivation in writing this book, we may all benefit from the knowledge she gained. Her writing about complex medical research is accessible and aided greatly by her background as a published science journalist.
The author brings to light several aspects of the field of comparative oncology and helps explain how clinical trials using pet dogs will reduce the need to use lab animals for medical research. Comparative oncology involves the use of experimental drugs that are actually designed to improve the lives of the animals. These valuable participants get top-of-the-line treatment while contributing to research that may lead to new cures for cancer. The Humane Society International supports comparative oncology for the reason that it aims to help the animals, unlike the drug testing protocols practiced in the past.
Innovation is sorely needed in a field that desperately needs advancements. Nine out of ten experimental drugs that cure lab rodents of their cancers fail in human trials. Studying cancer in primates is similarly restrictive since they are not as susceptible to cancer as humans. However, dogs develop cancers much like humans do. For many reasons pet dogs are perfect candidates to fill the void in medical research.
Arlene Weintraub writes: "I was surprised to learn that dogs get many of the same cancers we do, including lymphoma, melanoma, breast cancer, bone cancer, and gastric cancer. Texas A&M...was part of a rapidly expanding network of academic veterinary centers that recruit pets with cancer for 'translational' research—studies that have the potential to speed up the search for a cure for humans."
The author profiles the stories of some of the dogs and their people who contributed to the ground-breaking studies that began in 2001 at UC Davis. There is fascinating detail about the medical research of this period and the challenges of getting funding for new drugs and bringing them to market. At the end of the book there are numerous resources on various foundations for further information.
This book would appeal to people interested in the technical aspects of on-going cancer research both in humans and dogs. I was also drawn into the parts of the narrative that touched on the shared human feelings of love and loss due to these all too prevalent diseases. I was left wondering if the author would write a memoir giving an in-depth look at her own experiences that would no doubt have as much an impact as this book.
by Martha Meacham
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
Read
February 8, 2016"Heal" is a non-fiction book that looks at the way that dogs are helping scientists figure out new therapies for taming and curing all sorts of different kinds of cancer. I'm a huge animal lover and I have unfortunately had many people in my life taken down by various kinds of cancer. I've also had two dogs suffer for cancer. And in each case, I've found myself wishing that other people and animals did not have to watch their loved ones go through this. This book gave me great hope that scientists are looking at cancer from every angle in order to find a cure once and for all!
As the book points out, dogs develop cancer naturally like people do. Animals such as rats and mice, that often are the subjects of laboratory testing don't often develop cancer naturally. Because of this, dogs are uniquely qualified to help us understand how cancer occurs in humans and perhaps more importantly, how it can be cured. The author looks at a lot of different kinds of cancer and a lot of various trials. It was fascinating to see how much scientists were able to figure out from man's best friend.
The writing of the book was great. The author takes what could be a very technical discussion and turns it into something that can easily be understood by anyone. The book's strength also lies in that the author tackles the issue from so many different angles while inserting a dose of personality. For the author, the issue of cancer is personal. She discusses her sister's gastric cancer case with the reader, which really pulled me into the book. This book is for those that love dogs or have ever had cancer touch their lives.
As the book points out, dogs develop cancer naturally like people do. Animals such as rats and mice, that often are the subjects of laboratory testing don't often develop cancer naturally. Because of this, dogs are uniquely qualified to help us understand how cancer occurs in humans and perhaps more importantly, how it can be cured. The author looks at a lot of different kinds of cancer and a lot of various trials. It was fascinating to see how much scientists were able to figure out from man's best friend.
The writing of the book was great. The author takes what could be a very technical discussion and turns it into something that can easily be understood by anyone. The book's strength also lies in that the author tackles the issue from so many different angles while inserting a dose of personality. For the author, the issue of cancer is personal. She discusses her sister's gastric cancer case with the reader, which really pulled me into the book. This book is for those that love dogs or have ever had cancer touch their lives.
Read
February 8, 2015A fascinating book on how dogs (and in a couple of chapters, cats) are being used in the medical battle against cancer. The research is extraordinary, the stories are touching, and it once again confirms that dogs are utterly incredible creatures. From being able to sniff out cancer on their owners to happily submitting to testing that will actually help cure their own cancer — and in giving blood and tissue samples, helping out the human form of their canine cancer drugs — dogs have become an essential part of the search for the cures for cancer.
I read this book for work and was the copy editor on it (which is how I'm seeing it months before its release date) and as such can't leave a starred review, but wanted to say I absolutely loved it. The author has done an amazing job of putting this book together, and taking difficult medical terminology and concepts and presenting them in a way that is easily readable by the layperson. Whether you or a loved one is suffering from cancer, or you're interested in the scientific breakthroughs in science, or you're just an animal lover, you will enjoy this book.
I read this book for work and was the copy editor on it (which is how I'm seeing it months before its release date) and as such can't leave a starred review, but wanted to say I absolutely loved it. The author has done an amazing job of putting this book together, and taking difficult medical terminology and concepts and presenting them in a way that is easily readable by the layperson. Whether you or a loved one is suffering from cancer, or you're interested in the scientific breakthroughs in science, or you're just an animal lover, you will enjoy this book.
October 19, 2018
There are problems when you try and study a diverse set of diseases like cancer in rats and mice. This book explores how instead studying the treatment of cancer in our canine friends - who can get these diseases naturally with age just like us - can be the more effective and more ethical approach when it comes to animal research. As a veterinarian I've had the chance to see some of these discoveries first hand and even had my own pets benefit from them. I've always been confused about how well my pet patients do during cancer treatment, and why we might not (at least sometimes) take a more humane approach toward the treatment of people. While I never thought of discussing with my clients how their pet might help advance human research while being treated, this book helped me realize that might be something people are interested in doing.
January 13, 2018
amazing
Read
November 8, 2016Arlene Weintraub takes us on a behind the scenes look of the world of comparative oncology research and the many benefits cancer drug therapies have gained by exploring how delivery systems and side effects manifested and are treated in both humans and canines. Melanoma, lymphoma and osteosarcomas, to name a few, have all been detected and treated in dogs and humans for decades and because both share 85% of their DNA, they are the best pair of candidates to test cancer therapies and drug delivery methods. Both have deep feelings that can be interpreted by their caregivers, adding a dimension to the quality of life care diagnosis and protocols that is unattainable through mice trials. By noticing changes in mood and behavior, veterinarians and doctors can adjust dosage of medication to ensure their patients are comfortable during treatment and in the least amount of discomfort and pain as possible.
The author begins her reporting by talking about the Palladia trials to cure mast cell tumors. From there we are taken through the trials for many other cancer drugs and therapies including T-Cells and viral vectors. In between you get to meet the brave owners and pets that participated in the drug trials. Successes and failures are made public to support the main argument of the book: every participant made a dent and contributed to the advancement of science. All the knowledge learned helped shape future therapies and drugs that are now available on the market to treat all types of diseases and tumors. Half way through the book, we are introduced to feline comparative oncology research and to all of the other possible methods to diagnose and cure existing cancers. Turns out that those fringe cancers are now gaining traction because big pharma is aware that curing and/or treating people and their pets is a lucrative industry.
The book wraps up by visiting the idea of cancer detection dogs and noses that could smell volatile organic compounds particular to certain cancer types and give early warning to the patient about their condition to treat it with a higher success rate. It is really interesting to note that even though it was late for a lot of our loved ones who succumbed to the disease, the strides made by working across the species is ensuring that we gain insights at a faster and safer rate. Humans' best friends are helping them heal as they heal themselves, extending the time we can spend together even in the face of death.
Check out the trials that are available and the ways you can help promote and fund comparative oncology research in the references section. As a bonus, the publisher provides an ebook format with proof of purchase. It is an excellent reference for those whose canine friend is battling cancer too. Imagine the possibilities...
The author begins her reporting by talking about the Palladia trials to cure mast cell tumors. From there we are taken through the trials for many other cancer drugs and therapies including T-Cells and viral vectors. In between you get to meet the brave owners and pets that participated in the drug trials. Successes and failures are made public to support the main argument of the book: every participant made a dent and contributed to the advancement of science. All the knowledge learned helped shape future therapies and drugs that are now available on the market to treat all types of diseases and tumors. Half way through the book, we are introduced to feline comparative oncology research and to all of the other possible methods to diagnose and cure existing cancers. Turns out that those fringe cancers are now gaining traction because big pharma is aware that curing and/or treating people and their pets is a lucrative industry.
The book wraps up by visiting the idea of cancer detection dogs and noses that could smell volatile organic compounds particular to certain cancer types and give early warning to the patient about their condition to treat it with a higher success rate. It is really interesting to note that even though it was late for a lot of our loved ones who succumbed to the disease, the strides made by working across the species is ensuring that we gain insights at a faster and safer rate. Humans' best friends are helping them heal as they heal themselves, extending the time we can spend together even in the face of death.
Check out the trials that are available and the ways you can help promote and fund comparative oncology research in the references section. As a bonus, the publisher provides an ebook format with proof of purchase. It is an excellent reference for those whose canine friend is battling cancer too. Imagine the possibilities...
May 24, 2016
This is a thoughtful, heartwrenching, and informative book about how man’s best friend is helping humans yet again—but this time with cancer research.
I worked with Arlene when she was a science reporter at BusinessWeek, so when she gave me this to read, I knew the book would be well written and well reported. What I didn’t expect was that it would be such a moving and personal narrative, told through her perspective as she goes out to meet veterinarians, dog owners, and oncology specialists and researchers. Cancer is such as difficult subject, one that too many people have had to deal with with their families and, something I didn’t realize, very often with dogs.
What drove Arlene to write this book is the tragic loss of her sister at the age of 47 to gastric cancer. Arlene had so many unanswered questions following her sister’s death that she felt compelled to learn more about comparative oncology. By studying cancers in dogs and their response to different treatments, vets and oncologists are working to make breakthroughs in the treatment of cancers for humans and for dogs.
Arlene takes the reader along on her journey as she meets with the wonderful dogs and their wonderful humans who have signed their animal friends up for treatment trials and donated their tissue after the animals die to help advance cancer research and treatment. We accompany her to meetings with oncologists and vets who are dedicated to this field and to alleviating suffering. This is a well-researched book on the current science, but it’s also a brave personal story. Yet, though this book recounts pain and fear, it’s a hopeful one. Because it shows just how dedicated we humans are to helping each other and our animal friends. This is a book for many different readers: dog lovers, people who are interested in cancer research, and folks who’ve tragically had to deal with cancer.
Heather Green
I worked with Arlene when she was a science reporter at BusinessWeek, so when she gave me this to read, I knew the book would be well written and well reported. What I didn’t expect was that it would be such a moving and personal narrative, told through her perspective as she goes out to meet veterinarians, dog owners, and oncology specialists and researchers. Cancer is such as difficult subject, one that too many people have had to deal with with their families and, something I didn’t realize, very often with dogs.
What drove Arlene to write this book is the tragic loss of her sister at the age of 47 to gastric cancer. Arlene had so many unanswered questions following her sister’s death that she felt compelled to learn more about comparative oncology. By studying cancers in dogs and their response to different treatments, vets and oncologists are working to make breakthroughs in the treatment of cancers for humans and for dogs.
Arlene takes the reader along on her journey as she meets with the wonderful dogs and their wonderful humans who have signed their animal friends up for treatment trials and donated their tissue after the animals die to help advance cancer research and treatment. We accompany her to meetings with oncologists and vets who are dedicated to this field and to alleviating suffering. This is a well-researched book on the current science, but it’s also a brave personal story. Yet, though this book recounts pain and fear, it’s a hopeful one. Because it shows just how dedicated we humans are to helping each other and our animal friends. This is a book for many different readers: dog lovers, people who are interested in cancer research, and folks who’ve tragically had to deal with cancer.
Heather Green
December 26, 2015
The author lost her sister some years ago to gastric cancer. This book was her quest to learn more and bring attention to comparative oncology and the role clinical trials and dogs are playing. She talks to many doctors, both animal and human. She also visits many vet schools. The part I liked best was she also visits many of the families whose dogs participated in the trials mentioned.
Until reading this I didn't even know what comparative oncology was. I had no idea how similar the tumors in dogs are to the tumors in people. They are doing some really amazing things with the drug trials, not just creating new drugs but repurposing existing ones. Many Vaccines are also being developed. They are also working to create an artificial dog nose to detect cancers as early as possible.
This took me awhile to read both because there really is a lot of info but also because I had a very emotional reaction to it. I lost my 17 year old dog 1 1/2 years ago, not to cancer but it still brought many of the feelings back. I really felt for all the families who put their dogs in the trials. Not only for the coming heartache but I know how wearing the hyper vigilance can be. Always watching for the slightest sign of something wrong, or even not quite right.
Despite all that this book really left me with a feeling of hope!! What a great tribute to her sister. At the end the author lists many cancer organizations for both people and animals. She also lists ways to find clinical trials, organizations that help pay for treatment and books for further reading. In the acknowledgedments along with others she also thanks her dog- gotta love that!!
Until reading this I didn't even know what comparative oncology was. I had no idea how similar the tumors in dogs are to the tumors in people. They are doing some really amazing things with the drug trials, not just creating new drugs but repurposing existing ones. Many Vaccines are also being developed. They are also working to create an artificial dog nose to detect cancers as early as possible.
This took me awhile to read both because there really is a lot of info but also because I had a very emotional reaction to it. I lost my 17 year old dog 1 1/2 years ago, not to cancer but it still brought many of the feelings back. I really felt for all the families who put their dogs in the trials. Not only for the coming heartache but I know how wearing the hyper vigilance can be. Always watching for the slightest sign of something wrong, or even not quite right.
Despite all that this book really left me with a feeling of hope!! What a great tribute to her sister. At the end the author lists many cancer organizations for both people and animals. She also lists ways to find clinical trials, organizations that help pay for treatment and books for further reading. In the acknowledgedments along with others she also thanks her dog- gotta love that!!
February 23, 2024
Wow. 4.5 stars. This was a great read. Super interesting (for a non-fiction book)! It’s about how veterinarians and oncologists are working together to find new drugs, treatments, surgery options, etc for dogs and for humans (this field of cancer research work is called “comparative oncology “). And because dogs naturally get many of the same cancers as humans, they are a lot better models than mice or rats (who scientists have been giving cancer or tumors, then trying to treat, so when treatments might work for the mice, they fail in humans). But dogs aren’t being used as experiments! These are dogs that get cancer naturally, and teams of people are working together to help them! And by doing so, they are prolonging and improving the dog’s lives, while gaining valuable information and insight that is being applied to human cancer treatments. I’ll admit, I bought it mainly for chapter 9 (“A Nose for Detecting Cancer”). The thought of dogs being able to sniff out certain cancers (consistently and correctly), even earlier than some diagnostic tests BLOWS MY MIND. But the rest of the book was very good too. Most of the other chapters focused on a specific type of cancer, and what developments were being made. It is very detailed (LOTS of names, dates, studies, drug names, etc), but I didn’t feel it was overwhelming. I wish there were pictures though...would have loved to see the dogs she was talking about, and the different doctors and veterinarians she met. Even some of the college research buildings would have been good to see. Gives me hope for the future in cancer research.
June 10, 2016
I read this book to learn about comparative cancer studies and to look for hope for our greyhound who has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma.
Pogo was part of a current study now under way for the chemo drug, rapamycin. Pogo has tolerated treatment well, never getting as sick as our 2nd greyhound who we lost to hemangiosarcoma. Icabod did not tolerate the chemo drugs well 20 years ago.
Unfortunately Pogo was removed from the study at the beginning of May because mets were found on his lungs. He is now on Palladia, another chemo drug. Studies are basically experiments that go on for years with hope of helping both canines and humans. Because Pogo was part of an experiment, we do not know if there was a delayed reaction from the rapamycin or if it is a combination of the 3 chemo drugs he has been on, but when we took Pogo in for a checkup on May 31st, 3 mets have disappeared from the xrays, 2 have shrunk in size, and 2 small mets have appeared.
In speaking with a board certified veterinary oncologist who specializes in sight hounds, he has only seen lung mets decrease in size (with dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma) a couple times. We still have a bit of hope that we can find a cure or at the very least slow the progression of this horrible disease in both our pets and in humans.
Pogo was part of a current study now under way for the chemo drug, rapamycin. Pogo has tolerated treatment well, never getting as sick as our 2nd greyhound who we lost to hemangiosarcoma. Icabod did not tolerate the chemo drugs well 20 years ago.
Unfortunately Pogo was removed from the study at the beginning of May because mets were found on his lungs. He is now on Palladia, another chemo drug. Studies are basically experiments that go on for years with hope of helping both canines and humans. Because Pogo was part of an experiment, we do not know if there was a delayed reaction from the rapamycin or if it is a combination of the 3 chemo drugs he has been on, but when we took Pogo in for a checkup on May 31st, 3 mets have disappeared from the xrays, 2 have shrunk in size, and 2 small mets have appeared.
In speaking with a board certified veterinary oncologist who specializes in sight hounds, he has only seen lung mets decrease in size (with dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma) a couple times. We still have a bit of hope that we can find a cure or at the very least slow the progression of this horrible disease in both our pets and in humans.
August 2, 2016
I've learned so much of how cancer in animals (especially in dogs) are similar to humans. The new ways scientists and veterinarians are trying to find different varieties of finding a solution to maybe one day finding the problem of cancer, but for now; they are using different kinds of therapies for both humans and dogs. As you are reading Heal, you can tell this is personal and very meaingful to the author since she mentions throughout the book that she lost her sister to cancer and how that impacted her and how she met other people and their pets who were going through the same similar journey as well. For those of you who are animal lovers, I highly recommend this book. Plus, you will be amazed just how much you will learn from this incredible book.
February 9, 2016
I had never heard of the field of comparative oncology before I read this book. It turns out that dogs are subject to many of the same cancers humans are, which makes them great subjects for clinical drug trials that will ultimately inform how we treat humans.
Arlene Weintraub is a skilled and qualified science writer whose interviews and explanations make her topic -- how dogs are helping us learn how to treat cancer -- both appealing and clear. Dog lovers will appreciate how she makes the dogs she meets or describes just as individually quirky as the humans who own them. Great science storytelling for animal lovers or those who have been brushed by cancer in someone they love.
Arlene Weintraub is a skilled and qualified science writer whose interviews and explanations make her topic -- how dogs are helping us learn how to treat cancer -- both appealing and clear. Dog lovers will appreciate how she makes the dogs she meets or describes just as individually quirky as the humans who own them. Great science storytelling for animal lovers or those who have been brushed by cancer in someone they love.
December 26, 2015
The author explains how dogs are playing a role in the research of cancer. The book goes into detail about research and new therapies for cancer. Dogs can be trained to sniff out cancer and hopefully the medical field can get the cancer before it spreads too far.
The author has had her own experience with her sister and cancer and tells us about that also, which makes the book more personable. I gave this book 5 stars because it's a topic that should be read, and dogs are wonderful in the detection of cancer.
The author has had her own experience with her sister and cancer and tells us about that also, which makes the book more personable. I gave this book 5 stars because it's a topic that should be read, and dogs are wonderful in the detection of cancer.
February 2, 2016
What a heart warming book! Dogs continue to amaze us.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews