A teen with an aching leg had the same cancer as her dog. As she recovers, she's adjusting to life without her friend.
Gemma Daniel/ Roger Moore Photography
- Phoebe Daniel's doctors thought she had growing pains, but scans showed it was cancer.
- Her dog had been previously diagnosed with the same cancer, osteosarcoma, and had his leg amputated.
- Two years on, Phoebe is cancer-free, but her dog Chops did not survive.
A 13-year-old was diagnosed with the same cancer as her dog after what was thought to be growing pains turned out to be a symptom of what's known as osteosarcoma.
When the pain in her right leg got so bad that it stopped her from sleeping in April 2021, Phoebe Daniel's mom took her to an ER in the UK, where they live.
Doctors thought it would just be growing pains, but sent her for an urgent scan the next day. After more scans and blood tests, Phoebe Daniel was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, the most common bone cancer. It predominantly affects teenagers, but it can develop at any age, and usually around the knee or shoulder, but can affect any bones.
Her diagnosis came half a year after the family was told their dog, Chops, had the same condition.
Phoebe Daniel's mom, Gemma Daniel, told the Bone Cancer Research Trust: "It was the strangest thing when Phoebe was diagnosed with the same cancer just seven months later. I feel like they really related to one another with what they went through."
Gemma Daniel
Phoebe was told she was cancer-free
Over a period of eight months, Phoebe Daniel completed six rounds of chemotherapy, and had surgeries to remove the tumor and replace part of her knee and lower leg with a titanium implant. She then went through another four rounds of chemotherapy.
During her penultimate round of chemotherapy, Daniel's mom gave birth to her little sister, Zara.
Two years on from finishing her treatment, Phoebe is cancer-free and has recovered well.
Chops also had surgery for his osteosarcoma, to amputate his leg, but eventually passed away in December 2022. Gemma Daniel said the family is still adjusting to life without their Dalmatian.
Roger Moore Photography
Osteosarcoma is a common form of cancer in humans and dogs
The American Society of Clinical Oncology estimates that 3,970 people will develop osteosarcoma in the US in 2023. The disease has a 59% relative five-year survival rate, which rises to 76% if the cancer is diagnosed before it spreads.
Osteosarcoma is far more common in dogs than in humans. The American Kennel Club's Canine Health Foundation estimates that around 10,000 dogs are diagnosed with the disease each year.
It is most common in large or giant breeds of dogs, and tends to develop around their shoulders, wrists, and knees. The survival rate is lower than in humans — the CHF estimates that 50% of dogs with osteosarcoma who are treated with amputation and chemotherapy will be alive one year after diagnosis.