Centuries-Long Spread of Bizarre Cancer Among Shellfish Unveiled

Scientists have discovered that a bizarre form of contagious cancer has been spreading among shellfish for centuries, possibly even thousands of years. The cancer cells, which originated from a single ancestral cell, invade and multiply inside their new victims before spreading to attack other shellfish. This phenomenon has been observed in various species of shellfish, including clams and cockles. Researchers have found that these contagious cancers have accumulated a surprising number of mutations over time, with some cells having extra chromosomes or duplicated genomes. The ability of these cancers to survive and mutate for such long periods remains a mystery, but studying them could provide insights into cancer in humans and potentially uncover new targets for drugs.