Transmissible cancer affects marine bivalve mollusks worldwide, but how genetic mechanisms influence cancer evolution and disease spread remains largely unexplored. Two new studies provide insights into the ancient origin of founder clones and the long-term tolerance of contagious cancer cells to extreme genome instability.
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Schönbichler, A., Bergthaler, A. A deep dive into transmissible cancer evolution in bivalve mollusks. Nat Cancer 4, 1528–1530 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-023-00655-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-023-00655-3
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