title: Risk Factors Associated with Development of Histiocytic Sarcoma in Bernese Mountain Dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare but aggressive malignancy in humans that is poorly responsive to existing treatments. Although rare in most breeds of dogs, HS is common in Bernese mountain dogs (BMDs).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determine risk factors associated with development of HS in BMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 216 BMD were registered with the Berner-Garde Foundation.
  
  
  METHODS
  An internet-based cross-sectional survey was used to collect information from owners of BMD diagnosed with HS and owners of disease-free littermates of dogs with HS. Mixed-effects logistic regression (MELR) and conditional logistic regression (CLR) were used in parallel to examine associations between potential risk factors and the occurrence of HS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When controlling for litter as a marker of relatedness, dogs diagnosed with orthopedic conditions were found to be more likely to develop HS (MELR, OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.5, 5.2; CLR, OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.1, 7.3), whereas dogs receiving prescription anti-inflammatory medications were found to be at considerably lower risk of developing HS (MELR, OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.8; CLR, OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest inflammation may be a modifiable risk factor for the development of HS in BMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruple
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Morley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D054747:Histiocytic Sarcoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010375:Pedigree; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Canine spontaneous tumor model; Comparative oncology; Epidemiology; Malignant histiocytosis