The Science Behind Cancer's Size Connection Defies Decades-Old Belief
Larger animals face higher cancer risks due to increased cell division and oxidative stress, but those that reach large sizes rapidly evolve mechanisms to mitigate these effects, such as lower mutation rates or enhanced DNA repair mechanisms. The common dolphin, for example, evolved its large body size more quickly than other mammals, resulting in reduced cancer prevalence. This finding refines Cope's rule, which states that species with larger body sizes tend to have higher cancer risks.
- The evolutionary trade-off between rapid growth and cancer resistance may be a key factor in understanding why some species are more resilient to cancer than others.
- Can studying the unique biology of small, long-lived species like turtles or tortoises provide insights into cancer prevention and treatment that could inform human medicine?