- Scientists have discovered a rare transmissible cancer spreading among brown bullhead catfish in Lake Memphremagog, located between Vermont and Quebec.
- The cancer cells, described as behaving more like parasites than typical tumors, are malignant melanomas found in a significant percentage of the catfish population.
- Researchers believe the cancer may spread through physical contact during spawning, potentially via scratches from pectoral fin spines.
- Elevated levels of arsenic were detected in the cancer cells, with a correlation between arsenic in the surrounding soil and the cancer's geographical distribution.
- This discovery marks the fourth known transmissible cancer in animals and offers new insights into how cancer metastasizes in the human body.
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