Formation of malformed pharynx and neoplasia in the planarian Bdellocephala brunnea following treatment with a carcinogen

A review of the methods used to induce cancer in invertebrates to study its effects on the evolution of species and ecosystem functioning

“…These early observations were followed by a series of studies investigating potential carcinogenic substances for planarians. It has since been found that tumours in planarians can be induced by exposing them to heavy metals such as cadmium (Schaeffer, 1993; Voura et al, 2017) or to a relatively large range of aromatic hydrocarbon molecules (Foster, 1963; Hoshina & Teshirogi, 1991; Schaeffer, 1993). However, there is also evidence that not all species of planarians develop cancer when exposed to cadmium and that some planarians must also be exposed to a tumour promotor (Hall et al, 1986; Plusquin et al, 2012; Van Roten et al, 2018).…”