Nuclear radiation gives increased resistance to cancer?

[Retro]

Seems like it according to this finding. Fantastic news in the fight against cancer if this resistance also translates to humans.

Mutant wolves roaming the deserted streets of Chernobyl appear to have developed resistance to cancer - raising hopes the findings can help scientists fight the disease in humans.

The researchers discovered that Chernobyl wolves are exposed to upwards of 11.28 millirem of radiation every day for their entire lives - which is more than six times the legal safety limit for a human.

Ms Love found the wolves have altered immune systems similar to cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment, but more significantly she also identified specific parts of the animals' genetic information that seemed resilient to increased cancer risk.

Chernobyl's mutant wolves appear to have developed resistance to cancer, study finds

Mutant wolves roaming the deserted streets of Chernobyl appear to have developed resistance to cancer - raising hopes the findings can help scientists fight the disease in humans. A nuclear reactor exploded at the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine in 1986 - with more than 100,000 people...

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[Tiffany]

I have often wondered how the wildlife in Chernobyl could thrive in a highly radioactive contaminated wasteland. Very interesting that the wolves seemed to have adapted somehow. It would be really great if their research would tap into some kind of pathway to curing cancer.