DFTD: A Contagious Fatal Cancer that Threatens the Tasmanian Devils

The fact that Tasmanian devils are prone to a bizarre type of contagious facial cancer disease was first noted in 1996 in the far north east of Tasmania, and since then, the disease has spread south and west and now affects devils in over 85% of their distribution territory [1,2]. The disease, termed devil facial tumor disease (DFTD), is spread by biting, causing the appearance of tumors on the face, jaws and in the oral cavity. The tumors often become very large and in ~60% of the cases, metastasize to internal organs, including regional lymph nodes, lungs, spleen, heart and kidneys [3]. The tumors kill the host within 6 months of the emergence of first lesions, due to starvation, secondary infection and metastases formation [3].