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UWVC cancer vaccine trial enters final phase
The next specialists: Comprehensive oncology training at UWVC
UW Vet Med clinicians continue to redefine how cancer is treated
By Katie Ginder-Vogel
For 40 years, the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) and UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) have been leaders in veterinary oncology. From the development of advanced radiation treatments to testing anti-cancer vaccines, UW Vet Med clinicians have long been on the front lines of redefining how cancer is treated.
Today, the school continues to build on that legacy, bringing together medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists to form a comprehensive oncology service providing cancer care that is unmatched in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest.
“Our drive to revolutionize cancer care is unwavering,” says Dean Jon Levine. “By bringing exceptional veterinarians and scientists together, we’re creating new possibilities for patients through cutting-edge clinical trials and treatments — momentum we will build on for years to come.”
Three specialties, one team
UWVC is one of just a handful of animal hospitals in the United States that is home to medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists, which means patients and their families have access to a wider range of treatment information and options than if they were being seen by a single specialty. And there is a pressing need for care — roughly 25% of dogs and 20% of cats will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.
The hospital’s comprehensive approach to cancer care — and its culture of collaboration across services — augments the ability of UWVC clinicians to treat the disease, says medical oncologist MacKenzie Pellin (’06 DVM’11; Dept. of Medical Sciences). Traditionally the entry point for most patients at UWVC, medical oncology is one pillar in the full spectrum of care from a unified, comprehensive care team.
“Now, radiation and surgical oncology see cases with us,” Pellin says. “We all work together, and our integrated approach provides the best care possible for patients.”
The importance of collaboration is underscored by earlier successes: The team made pioneering breakthroughs in radiation oncology, such as a now-widely used protocol for cardiac hemangiosarcoma — an aggressive cancer of blood vessels that affects the heart.
“It hadn’t been commonplace to use radiation for that, but we created a safe protocol and combined it with novel chemotherapy,” says radiation oncologist Michelle Turek (Dept. of Surgical Sciences). “We were the first people to come up with this protocol.”
“The imaging we can do to make sure the patient is positioned precisely for radiation delivery is better now than it’s ever been,” Turek adds.
The recent return of alumna and surgical oncologist Megan Mickelson (’09 DVM’13; Dept. of Surgical Sciences), one of just 71 fellows in surgical oncology recognized by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, completes the comprehensive model.
“Returning to Madison feels like returning to home,” Mickelson says. “It’s a dream come true to work at an institution that I care so deeply for, and I’m honored to work on an oncology team that’s transforming how we treat cancer in both people and their pets.”
Her expertise allows for faster access to oncological surgery, which can be lifesaving. It also allows for the use of advanced techniques like microwave ablation, which allow for more effective treatment of tumors that can’t be fully removed of have already spread. By integrating surgical oncology into the fold, UWVC ensures that every angle of the disease — from diagnosis to complex removal — is managed under one roof.
Pushing boundaries of what’s possible
The SVM has been at the forefront of creating innovative technologies and administering groundbreaking clinical trials since the school was founded. Greg MacEwen, a founding faculty member at the SVM, created gene therapies that helped dogs with melanoma live longer.
Rock Mackie, emeritus professor of medical physics, in collaboration with SVM scientists invented TomoTherapy® in the late 1980s. TomoTherapy® has transformed how cancer is treated by delivering precise radiation to tumors while avoiding normal tissues. A subsequent clinical trial in the 2000s led by Emeritus Professor Lisa Forrest (Dept. of Surgical Sciences) led to its now widespread use in human medicine.
David Vail (Dept. of Medical Sciences) continues to design and implement clinical trials for canine cancer patients that, along with other clinical studies, have yielded new and more effective gene therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy treatments while reducing side effects.
Nate Van Asselt (Dept. of Surgical Sciences) is collaborating with UW Medical Physics researchers to test a new radiation technique, known as FLASH, to reduce side effects for cancer patients receiving treatment. Xuan Pan (Dept. of Medical Sciences), in collaboration with UW-Madison’s Center for Precision Medicine, has developed a new blood-based cancer detection platform that has led to intellectual property filings by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
Pan, Turek, Van Asselt, and Vail all have ongoing projects in collaboration with researchers at UW-Madison’s Carbone Cancer Center.
Creating future of cancer care
The SVM and UWVC will continue to balance clinical excellence with scientific innovation, Levine says. One goal is to provide the oncology team with the capacity to enhance collaborations with colleagues at Carbone to drive comparative oncology discoveries that improve health outcomes for both animals and people.
UW Vet Med took a critical step toward doing that by completing recent building projects. In addition to constructing a state-of-the-art, 150,000 square foot teaching hospital — which is home to expanded and enhanced research spaces — a newly renovated oncology suite in the hospital’s south building quadruples the space available to UWVC clinicians to see cancer patients and doubles the hospital’s space for chemotherapy treatment.
The new space allows the oncology team to see more patients and reduce wait times, and it also houses PET-CT, an advanced diagnostic tool that is redefining how diseases are diagnosed and treated in animals.
“Between our campus partnerships and the incredible generosity of our friends and supporters, we are uniquely positioned to redefine cancer care,” Levine says. “We’re honoring our history while creating the future of cancer care, for pets and people, right here at UW-Madison.”
UWVC cancer vaccine trial enters final phase
By Jack Kelly
A high-stakes clinical trial being conducted by UW Veterinary Care’s (UWVC) oncology service is entering its final phase as researchers close in on a potential breakthrough vaccine to combat one of the most aggressive types of cancer in dogs.
The Scout Out Hemangiosarcoma trial, which seeks to develop a vaccine against cancer of the blood vessel lining, has now enrolled 54 of 60 total patients. With recruitment nearly 90% complete, the team expects to finish patient accrual by early spring 2026. This represents the first randomized multitargeting hemangiosarcoma vaccine trial for dogs in the United States.
The trial investigates whether combining standard chemotherapy with an investigational anti-cancer vaccine can “train” the immune system to recognize and attack remaining cancer cells, offering hope for significantly improved outcomes.
While the trial is nearing its end, its momentum was sparked by early participants like Snoopy, a Shar-Pei mix. In September 2025, Snoopy became the first dog to successfully complete the trial.
Hemangiosarcoma typically carries a devastating prognosis. Even with the standard of care — surgical removal of the spleen followed by chemotherapy — average life expectancy is approximately four months. Today, following his diagnosis in October 2024 and his participation in the trial, Snoopy is back home living a normal, active life. Snoopy now visits UWVC every month for a booster dose of the vaccine.
“Snoopy’s participation in our clinical trial has brought hope and knowledge to the fight against hemangiosarcoma, paving the way for future canine patients,” says David Vail (Dept. of Medical Sciences), the UWVC medical oncologist and renowned cancer researcher overseeing the clinical trial. He expects results from the trial to be analyzed this fall.
The next specialists: Comprehensive oncology training at UWVC
By Jack Kelly
Building on its legacy of leading-edge care, UW Veterinary Care’s (UWVC) comprehensive cancer service is shaping the future of veterinary oncology.
This mission begins with UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) students, who are trained to diagnose cancer in pets and learn about existing treatment options both in the classroom and while working alongside faculty members in UWVC’s state-of-the-art teaching hospital. This hands-on experience allows SVM students to hone their clinical skills and provides valuable lessons about working with pet owners grappling with difficult care decisions for their beloved pets.
But UWVC’s commitment to training the next generation of veterinarians doesn’t end on graduation day. The hospital offers one of the largest oncology residency programs in the country — in addition to residency programs in its numerous other services — allowing early career veterinarians to learn from and work with the hospital’s world-class faculty members.
The oncology service’s integrated model is particularly influential for early career clinicians, says medical oncologist MacKenzie Pellin (’06 DVM’11; Dept. of Medical Sciences), because “our residents are becoming comprehensive oncologists.”
Proximity to UW-Madison Carbone Cancer Center is another unique advantage for UWVC oncology residents, says radiation oncologist Michelle Turek (Dept. of Surgical Sciences).
“Our residents benefit from an integrated clinical service, broad subspecialty exposure through our dual expertise, and research involvement,” Turek says. “They are consistently well prepared for board certification and have a strong record of success.”
The hospital — and within it the oncology service — also takes interns to work with its 21 different services. These internships usually last for one year and allow new veterinarians the chance to further their skills.
“At UW Vet Med, we are committed to training the next generation of difference-making veterinarians,” says SVM Dean Jon Levine. “That focus starts with our outstanding veterinary medical students and extends to the impressive slate of residents and interns working in our teaching hospital.”