Can insects get cancer?

Answer 1

A certain research found that loss of antennas can cause cancer in insects. So to say, yes insects can get cancer too.

For more details, read such news:
http://www.medindia.net/news/Loss-of-Antenna-Leads-to-Cancer-in-Insects-22936-1.htm

Answer 2

This is quite a coincidence.

The first day I worked in the fly lab, I asked my postdoc this exact
question, and he gave the answer you suggested - that insects don't live
long enough to get cancer. However, you raise a good point. Do long-lived
insects get cancer?

It's definitely possible to cause even short-lived insects to get cancer
by mutagenizing them. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster only lives
three weeks, but a paper came out in _Cell_ on the subject of fruit fly
cancer just last month. [1] The researchers discovered a mutant fruit fly
that spontaneously develops tumors.

So, given that some mutations can cause insects to get cancer, it should
be possible for any insect that lives long enough to develop such
mutations to get cancer. And given the large numbers of insects in, say, a
termite mound, and the number of genes that could produce uncontrolled
cell division when mutated, cancer seems not only possible, but probable.
We just don't notice a few termites more or less.

(An excellent question, by the way. Insects are excellent model systems,
and knowledge about spontaneous cancer in insects could prove extremely
useful.)

Answer 3

Technically, any animal with tissues (except the horseshoe crab) can get cancer when a cell mutates and starts reproducing out of control. Even plants can get cancer! Nobody knows what the deal is with horseshoe crabs, though...

Answer 4

I've read somewhere recently where sharks and rays are the only animals on earth that doesn't get cancer. It is believed that the reason is that they are made up of cartilage and no bones.

Answer 5

i doubt it as insects don't live long and the cancer process takes time.

Answer 6

good question i don't think there has been much lab tests done with insects as there is with rats. i personally do not think an insects life span is long enough for them to get anyting other than squished

Answer 7

I understood that every living thing can develop rogue or cancerous growths.
Maybe there is someone out there who can confirm or deny this.

Answer 8

Yes, i had a cricket that had to go through extensive chemotherapy and radiation once. he got better for awhile but it returned and i had to squash him.