Cancer in Labrador Dogs: What Owners Should Know

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Labrador Retrievers. In a study of more than 33,000 Labradors seen in UK veterinary practices, neoplasia (cancer and other tumors) caused 21.1% of deaths where the cause was recorded, second only to musculoskeletal disorders at 24.5% (McGreevy et al., 2018). Cancer is common enough that every Lab owner should know the signs.

Lumps are especially common in Labs. In a UK study of nearly 385,000 dogs, 5.15% of Labradors had a lipoma (a fatty tumor) diagnosed in a single year, one of the highest rates of any breed (O'Neill et al., 2018). Most lipomas are benign, but other lumps look and feel similar, so every new lump deserves a needle sample.

Two practical things help. Keeping your Lab lean was linked to a longer life in a lifelong study of Labradors, with restricted-fed dogs living a median of 1.8 years longer (Penn Today, 2002). And unlike some breeds, Labradors showed no increase in the cancers studied when neutered at any age (Hart et al., 2020).

Key points

• Neoplasia caused 21.1% of deaths with a known cause in UK Labradors (McGreevy et al., 2018).
• Median lifespan for Labradors was 12.0 years overall, and 10.7 years for chocolate Labs compared with 12.1 years for other colors (McGreevy et al., 2018).
• 5.15% of Labradors had a lipoma diagnosed in one year. Older age, higher bodyweight, and neutering were all linked to higher odds of lipoma across breeds (O'Neill et al., 2018).
• In Labradors, neutering at any age wasn't associated with an increased risk of the cancers tracked: lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, mast cell tumors, and osteosarcoma (Hart et al., 2020).
• Labradors fed 25% less from puppyhood lived a median of 13 years versus 11.2 years for their littermates (Penn Today, 2002).
• Overweight or obesity was one of the three most common disorders in UK Labradors (McGreevy et al., 2018).

Detailed explanation

How common is cancer in Labradors?

The best population data come from VetCompass, a UK program that analyzes records from primary-care veterinary practices. Researchers studied 33,320 Labradors and analyzed disorders and deaths in a random sample of 2,074 of them. Among dogs that died with a recorded cause, musculoskeletal disorders (24.5%) and neoplasia (21.1%) were the leading causes. Neoplasia as a group affected 7.4% of the sampled Labradors in a single year (McGreevy et al., 2018).

Other breeds, such as Golden Retrievers, carry notably higher cancer rates. Our article on Golden Retriever cancer risk covers a close cousin with much higher rates.

Labs and lumps

Labrador owners find a lot of lumps. The most common is the lipoma, a benign fatty tumor. In a VetCompass study of 384,284 dogs, the overall one-year prevalence of lipoma was 1.94%, while in Labradors it was 5.15%, placing them among the five breeds with the highest prevalence (O'Neill et al., 2018).

Across all breeds, three factors stood out (O'Neill et al., 2018):

• Age: dogs aged 9 to 12 years had 17.5 times the odds of lipoma compared with dogs aged 3 to 6
• Weight: dogs at or above their breed's average weight had about twice the odds
• Neutering: neutered males and females had higher odds than intact females

Because so many lumps on Labs turn out to be fatty, it's easy to assume every new lump is "just another lipoma." That's the trap. A lump can't be identified reliably by how it looks or feels. Veterinary oncologist Dr. Sue Ettinger's rule is that any lump the size of a pea that has been there for a month should be aspirated or biopsied (Ettinger, 2015). Our article on bumps on dogs and our guide to lumps that aren't cancer explain how vets tell them apart.

Which cancers do Labradors get?

Large-scale studies that separate out specific cancer types in Labradors are limited. What the evidence does show:

• Mast cell tumors are the most common skin tumor in dogs overall (Graf et al., 2018). Labradors made up 12.8% of dogs in one multi-center study of mast cell tumors on the ear flap (Chalfon et al., 2023), though that study wasn't designed to measure breed risk. Every mast cell tumor is a form of cancer, so any new skin lump in a Lab should be sampled.
• Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) is most often seen in large and giant breeds, usually around seven years of age, and typically causes limping and a firm swelling on a leg (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2024). Labs are a large breed, so a persistent limp shouldn't be dismissed as arthritis without an exam. See our osteosarcoma hub.
• Lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, mast cell tumors, and osteosarcoma together affected 8% of intact male and 6% of intact female Labradors in a UC Davis study of 1,933 Labs (Hart et al., 2020).

If you're looking for a breed-by-breed comparison, our article on dog breeds prone to cancer pulls those studies together.

Does neutering affect cancer risk in Labradors?

For some breeds, such as Golden Retrievers and Boxers, the age of neutering has been linked to cancer risk. For Labradors, it hasn't. In the UC Davis study of 1,933 Labradors, neutering at any age was not associated with an increased risk of lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, mast cell tumors, or osteosarcoma (Hart et al., 2020).

Joint disorders were a different story. Males neutered before 6 months had a joint disorder rate of 13% compared with 6% in intact males, and females spayed before 12 months had rates of 11% to 12%. The authors suggested neutering male Labradors after 6 months and delaying spaying in females until after a year (Hart et al., 2020). The decision involves other health factors too, so discuss timing with your veterinarian.

Keeping your Lab lean

Labradors are famously food-motivated, and overweight or obesity was one of the three most common disorders recorded in UK Labs (McGreevy et al., 2018). Weight matters for lumps, because higher bodyweight was linked to higher odds of lipoma (O'Neill et al., 2018), and it matters for longevity.

In a lifelong study of 48 Labradors from seven litters, littermates were paired and one dog in each pair was fed 25% less from 8 weeks of age. The restricted dogs lived a median of 13 years, compared with 11.2 years for their littermates, and developed chronic conditions later (Penn Today, 2002). That study didn't focus on cancer, but a healthy body weight is one of the most practical things you can do for your Lab's overall health. Our article on how to prevent cancer in dogs covers other steps.

Chocolate Labs and lifespan

In the VetCompass data, chocolate Labradors had a median lifespan of 10.7 years, compared with 12.1 years for black and yellow Labradors combined (McGreevy et al., 2018). The study didn't show that cancer explained the difference, so it's best read as a general health signal rather than a cancer risk.

What to watch for in your Lab

Many dogs keep acting normal even when something is wrong. Our article on what it means when a dog has cancer but acts fine explains why. Regular hands-on checks help you catch changes early. Our 10-minute dog cancer check walks you through one, and our guide to early signs of cancer in dogs lists what to look for.

When to contact a veterinarian

Book an appointment soon if your Labrador:

• Has any new lump, even one that feels soft or fatty
• Has a known lipoma that's growing quickly, changing shape, or feels firmer
• Is limping for more than a few days, or has a swelling on a leg
• Is losing weight, eating less, or seems less energetic

Go to an emergency hospital right away if your Lab collapses, has pale gums, or is breathing rapidly or with effort.

Questions to ask your veterinarian

• Can we aspirate this lump to confirm it's a lipoma?
• How should we track my Lab's lumps between visits?
• Is my dog at a healthy weight, and what should we change if not?
• What's the best age to neuter or spay my Lab, considering joint health?
• What cancers should I watch for most closely in my dog?
• How often should my senior Lab have a full exam and bloodwork?

References

Chalfon, C., Finotello, R., Sabattini, S., Gramer, I., Morris, J. S., Aralla, M., Morello, E. M., Ferraris, E., Ramos, S., Polton, G., Schiavo, L., Dobson, J., Cola, V., & Marconato, L. (2023). Patterns of nodal metastases, biological behaviour and prognosis of canine mast cell tumours of the pinna: A multi-institutional retrospective study. Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, 21(2), 332-338. 

Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. (2024). Osteosarcoma in dogs. Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center. Retrieved November 10, 2026, from https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/riney-canine-health-center/canine-health-information/osteosarcoma-dogs

Ettinger, S. (2015, June 8). See something, do something: Why wait? Aspirate. dvm360. https://www.dvm360.com/view/see-something-do-something-why-wait-aspirate

Graf, R., Pospischil, A., Guscetti, F., Meier, D., Welle, M. M., & Dettwiler, M. A. (2018). Cutaneous tumors in Swiss dogs: Retrospective data from the Swiss Canine Cancer Registry, 2008-2013. Veterinary Pathology, 55(6), 809-820. 

Hart, B. L., Hart, L. A., Thigpen, A. P., & Willits, N. H. (2020). Assisting decision-making on age of neutering for 35 breeds of dogs: Associated joint disorders, cancers, and urinary incontinence. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7, Article 388. 

McGreevy, P. D., Wilson, B. J., Mansfield, C. S., Brodbelt, D. C., Church, D. B., Dhand, N., Soares Magalhães, R. J., & O'Neill, D. G. (2018). Labrador retrievers under primary veterinary care in the UK: Demography, mortality and disorders. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, 5. 

O'Neill, D. G., Corah, C. H., Church, D. B., Brodbelt, D. C., & Rutherford, L. (2018). Lipoma in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: Prevalence and breed associations. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, 5. 

Penn Today. (2002, September 13). [VERIFY: replace with the primary study, Kealy et al., 2002, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, once confirmed] Study finds dogs fed reduced-calorie diet live nearly two years longer than dogs on unrestricted diet. University of Pennsylvania. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/study-finds-dogs-fed-reduced-calorie-diet-live-nearly-two-years-longer-dogs-unrestricted-diet