Contagious reticulum cell sarcoma explained

Contagious reticulum cell sarcoma is a reticulum-cell sarcoma^[1] found in Syrian hamsters^[2] that can be transmitted from one hamster to another.^[3] It was first described in 1945.^[4]

Transmission from hamster to hamster can be through various mechanisms. It has been seen to spread within a laboratory population, presumably through gnawing at tumours and cannibalism.^[5] It can also be spread by means of the bite of the mosquito Aedes aegypti.^[6]

It is one of only three known transmissible cancers in mammals; the others are devil facial tumor disease, a cancer which occurs in Tasmanian devils, and canine transmissible venereal tumor in dogs and other canines. Unlike these other two, tumours with multiple, independent origins have been observed in laboratory populations of hamsters.

Notes and References

1. 10.1093/jnci/26.4.949 . A Contagious Tumor of the Hamster . JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute . 1961 .
2. Copper HL, Mackay CM, Banfield WG . Chromosome studies of a contagious reticulum cell sarcoma of the Syrian hamster . Journal of the National Cancer Institute . 33 . 4 . 691–706 . October 1964 . 14220251 . 10.1093/jnci/33.4.691 .
3. 10.1093/jnci/33.4.691 . Chromosome Studies of a Contagious Reticulum Cell Sarcoma of the Syrian Hamster . JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute . 1964 .
4. 10.1038/155607b0 . Spontaneous Transmissible Tumours in the Syrian Hamster . 1945 . Ashbel . R. . Nature . 155 . 3942 . 607 . 1945Natur.155..607A . 4084173 . free .
5. 10.1016/j.tig.2015.10.001 . Transmissible Tumors: Breaking the Cancer Paradigm . 2016 . Ostrander . Elaine A. . Davis . Brian W. . Ostrander . Gary K. . Trends in Genetics . 32 . 1 . 1–15 . 26686413 . 4698198 .
6. Banfield WG, Woke PA, Mackay CM, Cooper HL . Mosquito transmission of a reticulum cell sarcoma of hamsters . Science . 148 . 3674 . 1239–40 . May 1965 . 14280009 . 10.1126/science.148.3674.1239 . 1965Sci...148.1239B . 12611674 .