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James S Welsh¹

¹Departments of Radiology and Neurosurgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana 71130, USA. jameswelsh@charter.net

|January 8, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cancer is rarely transmissible between hosts, but exceptions like devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) and canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) exist. Human cases are rare, often linked to transplants, suggesting natural immunity plays a key role in preventing transmissible cancers.

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Area of Science:

Immunology
Oncology
Comparative Pathology

Background:

Cancer is generally not considered a transmissible disease, but rare instances of host-to-host transmission occur.
Examples include devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) in Tasmanian devils and canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) in dogs, with differing prognoses.
In humans, transmissible cancers are seldom reported, primarily in transplant recipients and during pregnancy.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the phenomenon of transmissible cancers in different species.
To investigate the factors influencing the success or failure of cancer transmission between hosts.
To understand the role of natural immunity in preventing the establishment of transmissible cancers in humans.

Main Methods:

Review of documented cases of transmissible cancers in animals and humans.
Comparative analysis of cancer transmission dynamics and host immune responses.
Examination of cancer development in organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Main Results:

DFTD is often fatal in Tasmanian devils, while CTVT in dogs is frequently rejected by the host immune system, conferring immunity.
Cancer transmission to transplant recipients occurs in about one-third of cases.
The majority of potential transmissions in humans do not result in cancer, indicating a protective role of natural immunity.

Conclusions:

The rarity of cancer transmission in humans, despite potential exposure through transplants, highlights the effectiveness of natural immunity.
Studying transmissible cancers like DFTD and CTVT may offer insights into cancer immunobiology.
These findings could inform the development of novel cancer immunotherapies.