Why don't elephants get cancer? Because according to the principle of probability Large animals like elephants have 100 times more cells than humans and...

Why don't elephants get cancer? Because according to the principle of probability Large animals like elephants, with 100 times the number of cells than humans and long lifespans, should have a much higher "jackpot" chance of cells dividing incorrectly and leading to cancer than humans. This phenomenon of contradiction of probabilities is called "Peto's Paradox".

The main reason why elephants have a hard time getting cancer is their "excellent genetics". I'll summarize it easily as follows:

1. Elephants have 20 times more of the guardian gene (TP53) than humans.

The key is a gene called TP53, which makes the protein p53. "Guardian of the Genome"

Its job: to detect cells with damaged DNA, and if it can be repaired, it orders them to be repaired. But if it can't be repaired It commands the cell to "kill itself" (Apoptosis) immediately so that it does not become a cancer cell.

Human vs Elephant:

​Humans: only have 1 copy of the TP53 gene (from 1 father, 1 mother). If this copy is lost We are at a very high risk of getting cancer.

​Chang: There are up to 20 copies of the TP53 gene! (about 40 alleles)

Result: With such a large number of police patrolling make elephant cells "Very sensitive to damage" that is, if the DNA is even slightly abnormal. The cell is ordered to die immediately. Don't let it grow into cancer. (Unlike humans, the repair system may try to hold on to repairs until it becomes detrimental.)

​2. Zombie gene (LIF6) that wakes up to help kill cancer.

​In addition to TP53, scientists have also discovered another important mechanism, a gene named LIF6.

In most mammals This gene is a "junk gene" that doesn't work (as if it's dead).

But in elephants, this gene evolved to become functional again when the p53 protein detected damage. It stimulates the LIF6 gene to produce proteins that poke holes in the tissues. Mitochondria (the cell's power plant) cause cancer cells to die immediately.

Brief summary

Elephants don't get cancer because their bodies have a system. "Cut the fire from the beginning of the wind" which is much more brutal and strict than humans. Which cell looks bad? will be ordered to be exterminated immediately with an army of cancer-fighting genes that are tens of times greater than humans.