Turtles could hold the key to finding a cure for cancer, researchers have found.
Creatures that are both large and long-lived typically face a higher risk of getting the disease, but turtles seem to defy that pattern.
The reason may lie in their strong defence against cell damage, slow metabolism, which reduces cellular stress, and unique genes that protect against cancer, researchers said.
In the study, scientists from the universities of Nottingham and Birmingham analysed medical records of autopsies from hundreds of zoo turtles, including some from Chester Zoo in Cheshire.
They found that 1 per cent had been affected by cancer, far less than in mammals or birds. It also discovered that, when tumours did appear, they almost never spread.
Some turtle species – which included tortoises – have life spans beyond 100. The Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoises, for example, have lived beyond 150. In April, a female of the species became a first-time mother at the age of 100 in Philadelphia Zoo.
Credit: Philadelphia Zoo Digital
The researchers said the findings highlighted how essential it was to protect endangered species.
Dr Ylenia Chiari, one of the authors of the study from the school of life sciences at the University of Nottingham, said: “Turtles, especially iconic species like Galapagos and Aldabra giant tortoises, are famous for living long lives and growing to tremendous sizes.
“You’d expect that to mean more cancer, but our study, which combines decades of zoo records with previous research, shows how incredibly rare cancer is in these animals.
“It highlights turtles as an untapped model for understanding cancer resistance and healthy ageing, and it shows the vital role zoos play in advancing science through collaboration.”
Dr Scott Glaberman, from the University of Birmingham, added: “Biodiversity has so much to teach us about how the world works.
“While fascinating in their own right, extreme species like giant tortoises may have already solved many of the problems humans face, including those related to ageing and cancer. That makes biodiversity doubly worthy of protection.”
Dr Helena Turner, the research officer at Chester Zoo, said: “It’s fantastic to see these efforts not only contribute to advancing scientific knowledge around cancer resistance but also support vital conservation work to protect these remarkable species that may hold keys to medical breakthroughs benefiting both wildlife and humans.”
The study was published in the journal BioScience.
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