Sharks and Cancer
There is a persistent myth that sharks do not get cancer. Sharks are not immune to cancer but may possess mechanisms that lower their cancer risk. Documented instances of shark tumors have been reported in various species, such as nurse sharks, spiny dogfish, and hammerheads. However, the incidence of cancer in sharks may be lower than in many other vertebrates. Reasons: One hypothesis suggested is that shark cartilage contains anti-cancer properties because it lacks blood vessels. The idea is that angiogenesis (blood vessel formation) is crucial for tumor growth, and compounds in shark cartilage inhibit this process. This led to the commercial production of shark cartilage supplements marketed as cancer treatments. Evidence: Scant Studies have found little to no evidence that shark cartilage is effective in preventing cancer in sharks or in treating human cancer. Hypothesis 2: The genetic makeup of sharks enables enhanced repair mechan...