Elephants are less likely to get cancer than humans, even though they have many more cells. Why? Teams of scientists from the University of Utah and the University of Chicago have separately concluded that the answer may primarily center around a critical cancer-defense gene called TP53, which detects cells with damaged DNA and either repairs or kills them off. Both elephants and humans have this gene, but elephants have many more copies in their genetic make-up. It’s highly significant that two research teams arrived independently at the same result: in science, replication and independent verification are crucial to validating findings. Read more about the elephant research…
A deeper understanding of the reason extra copies of TP53 genes help prevent cancer may offer more clues as to how exposures to certain chemicals cause cancer in people. A new theory posed by the Halifax Project, detailed in EWG’s 2015 report “Rethinking Carcinogens,” suggests that chemicals that disrupt TP53 or other cancer-related pathways in the body could combine with similar chemicals to form carcinogenic mixtures. Read more about the Halifax Project…
