If Devil Facial Tumour Disease is a form of cancer, then how can it be contagious?
The Devil Facial Tumour Disease is extremely rare as it is only one of three recorded cancers that can spread like a contagious disease. Under normal circumstances, cancer cannot be “caught”. The cancer cells from one individual are completely different to another individual, and when transferred should be rejected by the immune system. So the fact that DFTD breaks this rule raises many questions about the immune system of the Tasmanian devil. Researchers at the Menzies Research Institute, led by A/Prof Greg Woods, confirmed that Tasmanian devils have a fully functional immune system when they analysed blood samples in the laboratory. So how can DFTD develop in animals with fully competent immune systems? Why aren’t the devil facial tumour cells recognised and rejected by the immune system? The devil-to-devil transmission suggests that this cancer is similar to a transplant – but rather than a transplant of a life-saving organ, such as a heart or kidney, the transplant is a life-threat
The Devil Facial Tumour Disease is extremely rare as it is only one of three recorded cancers that can spread like a contagious disease. Under normal circumstances, cancer cannot be caught. The cancer cells from one individual are completely different to another individual, and when transferred should be rejected by the immune system. So the fact that DFTD breaks this rule raises many questions about the immune system of the Tasmanian devil. Researchers at the Menzies Research Institute, led by A/Prof Greg Woods, confirmed that Tasmanian devils have a fully functional immune system when they analysed blood samples in the laboratory. So how can DFTD develop in animals with fully competent immune systems? Why arent the devil facial tumour cells recognised and rejected by the immune system? The devil-to-devil transmission suggests that this cancer is similar to a transplant – but rather than a transplant of a life-saving organ, such as a heart or kidney, the transplant is a life-threateni
