Most ppl have no clue that Cancer is a parasite.
Cancerous tumors are parasitic organisms, he said. Each one is a new species that, like most parasites, depends on its host for food.
Vincent noted that there are three known transmissible cancers, including devil facial tumor disease, a “parasitic cancer” that attacks and kills Tasmanian devils. It is transmitted from one animal to another by a whole cancer cell. A similar parasitic cancer, canine transmissible venereal tumor, is transmitted between dogs via a single cancer cell that has a genome dating from the time when dogs were first domesticated. A third transmissible cancer was found in hamsters.
“Cancer has become a successful parasite,” Vincent said.
Cancerous tumors are parasitic organisms, he said. Each one is a new species that, like most parasites, depends on its host for food.
Vincent noted that there are three known transmissible cancers, including devil facial tumor disease, a “parasitic cancer” that attacks and kills Tasmanian devils. It is transmitted from one animal to another by a whole cancer cell. A similar parasitic cancer, canine transmissible venereal tumor, is transmitted between dogs via a single cancer cell that has a genome dating from the time when dogs were first domesticated. A third transmissible cancer was found in hamsters.
“Cancer has become a successful parasite,” Vincent said.