Clinical Use of Molecular Biomarkers in Canine and Feline Oncology: Current and Future.

Simple Summary: Molecular biomarkers in cancer are measurable genomic alterations that can indicate the risk of developing neoplasia, the presence of neoplastic cells, patient outcome, and/or a likely response to therapy. This review discusses the different uses of molecular biomarkers in the veterinary clinic and how their presence can be determined. In particular, we showcase which genomic alterations are currently used to date as molecular biomarkers in the clinic and for what purposes. We also look at biomarkers that are currently being developed and show promise for clinical use. Finally, we consider the important factors that allow a molecular biomarker to move from the research laboratory to the clinic. This review aims to enable veterinarians to understand the benefits of molecular biomarkers in delivering precision veterinary care to dogs and cats with cancer. Molecular biomarkers are central to personalised medicine for human cancer patients. It is gaining traction as part of standard veterinary clinical practice for dogs and cats with cancer. Molecular biomarkers can be somatic or germline genomic alterations and can be ascertained from tissues or body fluids using various techniques. This review discusses how these genomic alterations can be determined and the findings used in clinical settings as diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, and screening biomarkers. We showcase the somatic and germline genomic alterations currently available to date for testing dogs and cats in a clinical setting, discussing their utility in each biomarker class. We also look at some emerging molecular biomarkers that are promising for clinical use. Finally, we discuss the hurdles that need to be overcome in going 'bench to bedside', i.e., the translation from discovery of genomic alterations to adoption by veterinary clinicians. As we understand more of the genomics underlying canine and feline tumours, molecular biomarkers will undoubtedly become a mainstay in delivering precision veterinary care to dogs and cats with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]