“Transmissible” cancer does indeed exist: in some animals, malignant cells can be passed from one individual to another. This was explained to Gazeta.ru by Pyotr Lidsky, an evolutionary biologist and professor at the City University of Hong Kong.
This phenomenon is known as transmissible cancer and is extremely rare. Unlike typical infections, the disease does not spread via viruses or bacteria, but rather through living tumor cells themselves. Once they enter another organism, these cells can take root in its tissues and continue to multiply.
“Such tumor cells behave, in a sense, like parasites: they consume the host’s resources, thereby reducing its survival and reproductive success. For such a lineage to emerge, several conditions must be met: the cancer cells must reach a new host, establish themselves within its tissues, and evade immune rejection. This is why transmissible tumors remain highly rare,” the scientist noted.
Previously, Life.ru explored whether it is possible to “catch” cancer from another person and which infections increase the risk of developing oncological diseases. An expert clarified that tumors themselves are not transmitted between humans in the same way as common infections. However, certain pathogens—such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B—can increase the likelihood of developing malignant growths.
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