Scientists discover 'zombie gene' in elephants that could help fight cancer in humans

The cells in our body are constantly changing and mutating, and it's specific harmful types of mutations that can cause cancer. Logic would suggest that larger organisms, which have larger volumes of cells, should develop cancer a lot more often than smaller ones.

This does not hold true for elephants.

Elephants have a remarkable ability to avoid cancer, CNN reported; only about 5 percent of elephants die of cancer, compared to about 25 percent of humans. That's why researchers are studying the massive mammals for clues into how they manage to fight back against cancer so well, in the hopes that some of their findings can be applied to treat cancer in humans, too.

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In a study published Tuesday in the journal Cell Reports, scientists reveal the discovery of a gene in elephants that might explain their resilience. Called a "zombie gene," it can detect cancer as soon as it develops in a cell, and kill that cell off before it can divide and create more cancerous cells. By observing the "zombie gene" at work in elephants, the researchers were able to learn that its self-destruct button is triggered by damaged DNA — which is why it responds to the mutations in cancer cells.

There's a long road ahead before the "zombie gene" can be used as a treatment for humans with cancer, but it's "one piece of a larger puzzle," study author Vincent Lynch said. Read more at CNN.