Taipei's National Taiwan University (NTU) opened Asia's first animal cancer research center on January 14, 2010.

The center hopes its research into cancers affecting animals like cats and dogs will contribute to human cancer research. An NTU professor said that studies show genetic similarities between dogs and humans.

NTU's animal hospital treats up to 28,000 dogs and cats every year. Around 2,000 of those animals are diagnosed with cancer. While cancer is the number one killer of pets in Taiwan, it's not clear how many of these pets die of cancer every year.

SOURCE: Radio Taiwan International