Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Cancer Clue May Save Tasmanian Devils

Scientists find the origins of fast-spreading disease

By the Associated Press

Posted Jan 1, 2010 7:06 AM CST

(AP) – Hope for Tasmanian devils: Scientists think they've found the origin of a contagious cancer threatening to wipe them out. An international research team picked apart the cancer's genes and discovered that it apparently first arose in cells that protect the animals' nerves. The surprise finding, reported in today's edition of Science, may eventually lead to a vaccine or at least treatments.

"The clock's ticking," said the lead researcher at Australian National University. "It's awful to think there could be no devils here in 50 years because they're dying so quickly." Since the disease's discovery in 1996, the number of Tasmanian devils has plummeted by 70 percent, leading Australia to list them as an endangered species.

A file photo of a Tasmanian devil with the fast-spreading cancer.
A file photo of a Tasmanian devil with the fast-spreading cancer.   (Anonymous)
  (D. Morris)
A file photo of a healthy Tasmanian devil.
A file photo of a healthy Tasmanian devil.   (Anonymous)
A file photo of a Tasmanian devil.
A file photo of a Tasmanian devil.   (Mark Baker)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
My TakeCLICK BELOW TO VOTE
3%
0%
3%
66%
21%
7%
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
passinthru
Jan 5, 2010 3:42 AM CST
yeah...like 7300 or something very small like that.
kROCK91
Jan 3, 2010 4:48 AM CST
Craighenn, as far as I know, humans are not endangered. While loss of human lives from cancer is unfortunate, there are 6 billion of us; we're not going anywhere soon, and there's already billions spent on human cancer research. The Tasmanian devils have much lower numbers than us.
NxBigmouthery
Jan 2, 2010 9:00 AM CST
Look no further than Bugs as culprit. That's why there are hardly any Tassie devils and millions of rabbits in Australia.

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

More Newser Stories

Boss Divvies Up $15M to Surprised Employees

PM Loses Shoe in Australia Day Protest

Scientists Find Monkeys Thought to Be Extinct

World's Biggest Potheads Live In...

Hawaii's Endangered Seals Being Killed


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne