Why Blue Whales Don't Get Cancer - Peto's Paradox
Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell・2 minutes read
Large animals are less prone to cancer due to having more tumor suppressor genes, necessitating more mutations for tumor formation. Hypertumors, or tumors of tumors, may play a role in this phenomenon by cutting off the blood supply to the original tumor.
Insights
- Large animals possess more tumor suppressor genes, necessitating multiple mutations for cancer to develop, thus enhancing their resilience to the disease.
- The concept of hypertumors, where mutated cells within a tumor attack the main tumor, restricting its growth by cutting off its blood supply, may elucidate the lower cancer rates observed in large animals.
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Recent questions
Why do large animals have lower cancer rates?
Large animals have more tumor suppressor genes, requiring multiple mutations for tumor development, making them more resilient to cancer. This abundance of tumor suppressor genes acts as a protective mechanism against cancer, as it necessitates a higher number of mutations for cancer to occur in large animals compared to smaller ones.
What are hypertumors and their role in cancer prevention?
Hypertumors are tumors of tumors that form when mutated cells turn against the original tumor, cutting off its blood supply and preventing it from growing. These hypertumors may play a crucial role in explaining why large animals have lower cancer rates, as they act as a defense mechanism against cancer by inhibiting the growth of tumors.
How does cancer develop in cells?
Cancer is a result of multiple mistakes and mutations in specific genes within cells, such as proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. These mutations disrupt the normal regulation of cell growth and division, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation and the formation of tumors.
What genes are involved in cancer development?
Cancer development involves mutations in genes such as proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Proto-oncogenes promote cell growth and division, while tumor suppressor genes inhibit cell proliferation. Mutations in these genes can disrupt the balance between cell growth and cell death, contributing to the development of cancer.
How do tumor suppressor genes contribute to cancer resistance?
Tumor suppressor genes play a crucial role in cancer resistance by requiring more mutations for tumor development in large animals. The presence of multiple tumor suppressor genes in large animals acts as a protective mechanism against cancer, as it increases the threshold for mutations needed for cancer to occur. This higher threshold makes large animals more resilient to cancer compared to smaller animals.
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Summary
00:00
Large animals' immunity to cancer explained
- Large animals seem to be immune to cancer, despite the expectation that their size should make them more susceptible to it.
- Cancer is a result of multiple mistakes and mutations in specific genes within cells, such as proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.
- Large animals have more tumor suppressor genes, requiring more mutations for tumor development, making them more resilient to cancer.
- Hypertumors, tumors of tumors, may be a key factor in explaining why large animals have lower cancer rates.
- The nature of cancer cells can lead to the formation of hypertumors, where mutated cells turn against the original tumor, cutting off its blood supply and preventing it from growing.
