Transmissible cancers, are they more common than thought?

Újvári, Beáta; Gatenby, Robert A.; Thomas, Frédéric

doi:10.1111/eva.12372

Cited by 21 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(9 reference statements)

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“…A sexually transmitted venereal tumor was reported in dogs (Murgia, Pritchard, Kim, Fassati, & Weiss, 2006) while malignant cells of facial tumors were identified to be transmitted by biting in Tasmanian devils (Pearse & Swift, 2006). Two key elements of transmissible cancer emergence are the survival of malignant cells during transmission from host to host and the resistance to immune attacks in the new host (Ujvari, Gatenby, & Thomas, 2016). From a mammal‐centered point of view, with cells unable to survive in the external environment and with a highly effective self‐recognition system, it looks like incredibly difficult conditions to meet, well explaining the rarity of contagious cancers.…”

Section: Transmissible Cancers Might Be More Widespread Than Previousmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and the resistance to immune attacks in the new host (Ujvari, Gatenby, & Thomas, 2016). From a mammal-centered point of view, with cells unable to survive in the external environment and with a highly effective self-recognition system, it looks like incredibly difficult conditions to meet, well explaining the rarity of contagious cancers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From a mammal-centered point of view, with cells unable to survive in the external environment and with a highly effective self-recognition system, it looks like incredibly difficult conditions to meet, well explaining the rarity of contagious cancers. When these conditions are met, however, multiple emergences could be expected (Ujvari et al, 2016) as found in the Tasmanian devil (Pye et al, 2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Weird genotypes? Don't discard them, transmissible cancer could be an explanation

Riquet

Simon

Bierne

2016

Evolutionary Applications

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Genetic chimerism is rarely considered in the analysis of population genetics data, because assumed to be an exceptionally rare, mostly benign, developmental accident. An unappreciated source of chimerism is transmissible cancer, when malignant cells have become independent parasites and can infect other individuals. Parasitic cancers were thought to be rare exceptions, only reported in dogs (Murgia et al., Cell, 2006, 126, 477; Rebbeck et al., Evolution, 2009, 63, 2340), Tasmanian devils (Pearse and Swift, Nature, 2006, 439, 549; Pye et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2016, 113, 374), and soft‐shell clams (Metzger et al., Cell, 2015, 161, 255). However, the recent simultaneous report of four new contagious leukemias in marine mollusks (Metzger et al., Nature, 2016, 534, 705) might change the rules. By doubling up the number of naturally occurring transmissible cancers, this discovery suggests they may essentially be missed because not sufficiently searched for, especially outside mammals. We encourage population geneticists to keep in mind infectious cancer when interpreting weird genotypes in their molecular data. It would then contribute in the investigation of how widespread contagious cancer could really be in the wild. We provide an example with our own data in Mytilus mussels, a commercially important shellfish. We identified genetic chimerism in a few mussels that suggests the possible occurrence at low prevalence in European M. edulis populations of a M. trossulus contagious cancer related to the one described by Metzger et al. (Nature, 2016, 534, 705) in populations of British Columbia.

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Section: Transmissible Cancers Might Be More Widespread Than Previousmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Weird genotypes? Don't discard them, transmissible cancer could be an explanation

Riquet

Simon

Bierne

2016

Evolutionary Applications

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“…During the metastatic process, paracrine signaling and chemotaxis between the soil (novel tissue) and the seed (malignant cell) lead to tissue tropism of metastatic cells and the invasion of specific organs . Stromal environments accommodating novel tumors can arise by manipulation at each site of tumor metastasis . However, an interesting question concerning both metastatic processes and transmissible cancers is whether the evolved (clonally selected) abnormal stromal cells (“fellow‐travellers”), which provide an optimal niche for primary tumor cells, accompany the invasive malignant cells during invasion of new organs and/or other host organisms .…”

Section: Host Manipulation By Cancer Cells: What Are the Facts And Exmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…according to the somatic mutation theory each cancer must “reinvent the wheel” because their evolutionary products die with the host (but see ). Conversely, in the cases of contagious cancers, fitness is not restricted by host death, allowing for a longer evolutionary history involving coevolutionary processes with the host species . Given this ecological and evolutionary context, theory postulates that lineages able, like classic parasitic organisms (see Box 2), to manipulate phenotypic traits in their host in ways that favor their proliferation and/or transmission to novel hosts (for contagious cancers) should achieve higher fitness, and consequently be favored by selection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host manipulation by cancer cells: Expectations, facts, and therapeutic implications

et al. 2016

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Similar to parasites, cancer cells depend on their hosts for sustenance, proliferation and reproduction, exploiting the hosts for energy and resources, and thereby impairing their health and fitness. Because of this lifestyle similarity, it is predicted that cancer cells could, like numerous parasitic organisms, evolve the capacity to manipulate the phenotype of their hosts to increase their own fitness. We claim that the extent of this phenomenon and its therapeutic implications are, however, underappreciated. Here, we review and discuss what can be regarded as cases of host manipulation in the context of cancer development and progression. We elaborate on how acknowledging the applicability of these principles can offer novel therapeutic and preventive strategies. The manipulation of host phenotype by cancer cells is one more reason to adopt a Darwinian approach in cancer research.

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Transmissible cancers in mammals and bivalves: How many examples are there?

et al. 2020

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Transmissible cancers are elusive and understudied parasitic life forms caused by malignant clonal cells (nine lineages are known so far). They emerge by completing sequential steps that include breaking cell cooperation, evade anti‐cancer defences and shedding cells to infect new hosts. Transmissible cancers impair host fitness, and their importance as selective force is likely largely underestimated. It is, therefore, crucial to determine how common they might be in the wild. Here, we draw a parallel between the steps required for a transmissible cancer to emerge and the steps required for an intelligent civilisation to emerge in the Milky Way using a modified Drake equation. Using numerical analyses, we estimate the potential number of extant marine and bivalve species in which transmissible cancers might exist. Our results suggest that transmissible cancers are more common than expected, and that new lineages can be found by screening a large number of species.

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Transmissible cancers, are they more common than thought?

Cited by 21 publications

References 7 publications

Weird genotypes? Don't discard them, transmissible cancer could be an explanation

Weird genotypes? Don't discard them, transmissible cancer could be an explanation

Host manipulation by cancer cells: Expectations, facts, and therapeutic implications

Transmissible cancers in mammals and bivalves: How many examples are there?

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