This Reptile May Hold The Secret To Cancer Resistance And 'Healthy Ageing', Scientists Find

Doctor with stethoscopeResearchers have long known that larger animals, like elephants and blue whales, are less likely to get cancer. That seems counterintuitive at first. After all, the more mass, the more cells, the higher the risk of some mutating, right? Well, yes. But whales, for instance, have different genes that mean their cell turnover is higher, and they also have many tumour-suppressing genes. Now, a new study led by University of Nottingham scientists has found that turtles could also offer “valuable clues” for preventing or treating cancer in humans.Scientists have said they are also “a promising model for studying healthy ageing and cancer resistance”.That’s because they, too, appear to be less likely to develop cancer.Why do scientists think turtles are less likely to get cancer? A new paper, published in BioScience, found that only 1% of turtles seem to get cancer. That’s far less than mammals and even birds.The researchers performed autopsies on turtles from hundreds of zoos and found that even when tumours did appear, they “almost never” metastasised (spread).After exploring the link further, scientists concluded that this might be down to a combination of better protection against cell damage, a slower metabolism that reduces cellular stress, and unique genes that protect against cancer.Dr Ylenia Chiari, who was involved in the study, said: “Turtles, especially iconic species like Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoises, are famous for living long lives and growing to tremendous sizes.“You’d expect that to mean more cancer, but our study, which combines decades of zoo records with previous research, shows how incredibly rare cancer is in these animals.“It highlights turtles as an untapped model for understanding cancer resistance and healthy ageing, and it shows the vital role zoos play in advancing science through collaboration.” Dr Scott Glaberman, also a study co-author, added: “Biodiversity has so much to teach us about how the world works.“While fascinating in their own right, extreme species like giant tortoises may have already solved many of the problems humans face, including those related to ageing and cancer.”This relates to ‘Peto’s paradox’In 1977, a paper nicknamed “Peto’s paradox” suggested that even when animals are bigger and have more cells, they don’t get cancers at higher rates than smaller animals.But researchers at the University of Reading dispute this finding. They suggest that elephants, for example, get more tumours than smaller creatures but have better defences.The association is not insignificant.Speaking to Medical News Today, Dr Marc Tollis, who was involved in research which found lower rates of cancer in humpback whales, said: “Our goal is not only to get nature to inform us about better cancer therapies, but to give the public a new perspective of cancer.” As with the researchers behind the recent turtle study, Dr Tollis stressed the importance of biodiversity in helping us to find the best therapies for humans.Related...Doctor Shares 6 Signs Of Bowel Cancer Young People Need To Watch Out ForThis Rare 'Silent' Cancer Has Quadrupled Among MillennialsIs The 'Japanese' Or 'Mediterranean' Diet Healthier? I Asked A Longevity Doctor

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This Reptile May Hold The Secret To Cancer Resistance And 'Healthy Ageing', Scientists Find

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