Devil Facial Tumor Disease Essay

The Tasmanian devil is an apex predator and the largest marsupial carnivore. Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD) is a highly aggressive, transmissible cancer that is decimating the Tasmanian devil population and threatening the species with extinction in as little as thirty years (Brüniche-Olsen et al., 2016). The disease first showed up in 1996 and a second transmissible cancer in devils was discovered in 2014. This disease has since declined the population 95% in some areas while spreading to more than 80% of their range (Hollings, et al., 2014). Research towards a vaccine will help to facilitate the reintroduction of these animals into the wild and would provide a new era in wildlife management and research.
CANCER ORIGINS
There are two known naturally occurring cancers that are transmissible: Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD) and Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumor (CTVT). Each of these first arose with a single individual as a result of low levels of genetic diversity (Grueber et al., 2011). Instead of having a normal life span, these clonal cells can live well past the life span of its host and cause DFTD in other devils. The transmission of the cancer in devils is thought to happen from direct inoculation of tumor cells when …show more content…
DFTD is primarily seen inside the oral cavity with tumors developing primarily around the face and jaw, but can then metastasize (Grueber et al., 2011). In extreme cases, the tumors may also be seen extending to the neck and other parts of the body. These tumors can grow large and fester making eating a challenge which ultimately kills the animal (Jones & McCallum, 2011). All individuals who contract the disease die within six months as a result of starvation because of an inability to feed or as a result of organ failure from metastases (Grueber et al.,