I'll file this under the heading of "what took you so long to realize this?"
QUOTE: ...Gorbunova believes that cells of long-lived, small-bodied rodents are hypersensitive to cues from the surrounding tissue. If the cells sense that conditions are inappropriate for growth, they slow down cell division. Such a mechanism would arrest tumor growth and prevent metastases... UNQUOTE.
This is not just true for such animals, but probably for all animals. However, why doesn't this scientist appear to know about studies from decades ago that demonstrated this same point. For instance, how about the studies that showed a threshold amount of linoleic acid in the diet which resulted in a lot more cancers? Interestingly, the title of this report is "Novel Anti-cancer Mechanism Found In Long-lived Rodents," yet the "mechanism" is only assumed, so I don't know how any journalist can say that it's been "found."
For example, the author writes: "Gorbunova thinks that squirrels and similar rodents have evolved a strict monitoring function within their cells that may be able to sense appropriate and inappropriate cell division—i.e., healthy reproduction and runaway cancerous reproduction—and slow or inhibit the division if necessary.
Gorbunova is now looking to isolate and understand this mechanism with the hope that it may be applicable to help human cells thwart the onset of tumor growth..."
I'd call this really poor science journalism, but from my experience, it's not uncommon to read such things on a daily basis.
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080918081158.htm
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