Canadian researchers say they have discovered the first known case of a dinosaur suffering from a deadly cancer.
The evidence came from a fossil leg bones discovered in Alberta, Canada in 1989. The fossil was from a dinosaur named Centrosaurus. It was an animal with four legs that ate about 6 meters long that lived between 76 and 77 million years ago.
Examination of the fossil shows that the lower leg, called the fibula, was poor deformed. The scientists thought that this was probably caused during the healing process of a broken leg.
But new fossil fuels have led researchers to believe that the deformity was most likely caused by an aggressive bone cancer called osteosarcoma. The research team included medical professionals who study and diagnose cancers in humans.
The findings were recently reported in the medical publication Lancet oncology.
The publication describes osteosarcoma as a serious and deadly bone cancer “with a worldwide incidence of 3.4 cases per million people per year.” The cancer often takes the form of a disorganized bone growth that strikes children as young adults in general. The cancer can spread through bones and to other organs.
The researchers said recent fossil footage showed that the dinosaur bone “contained a massive …tumor. ”
They said they were able to confirm that the growth was a tumor by using computed tomography, or CT, images. CT technology uses X-rays and a computer to take detailed pictures of bones, organs and tissues in the body.
The team compared a normal Centrosaurus fibula with the deformed one. They compared the deformed dinosaur bone with a human fibula with a confirmed case of osteosarcoma. The comparison led the researchers to confirm a probable case of osteosarcoma.
Experts say because most tumors form in soft tissue that does not easily fossilize, there is not much evidence of cancer in the fossil record.
One of the project leaders was David Evans of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. He spoke to the Reuters news agency about the finding. He said one of the strongest pieces of evidence was that the cancer was also found in the outer layer of bone. This does not support the theory that the deformed leg was caused by a healed fracture.
“This remarkable finding shows that no matter how large or powerful some dinosaurs may seem, they were affected by many of the same diseases we see today in humans and other animals, including cancer,” Evans said.
He added that the Centrosaurus linked to the fossil “was probably weak and lame by the cancer ”before his death. However, cancer may not have killed the dinosaur. Evans said the fossil was found in a large collection of Centrosaurus individuals. This suggests that they all died as a group after being caught in a flood.
Another lead researcher was Dr. Mark Crowther, a professor of medicine at McMaster University in Ontario. He said the new discovery was only made possible by the use of modern methods and an expert medical team representing various fields.
“Here we show the unmistakable signature of advanced bone cancer in a 76-million-year-old horny dinosaur – the first of its kind. It’s very exciting, “said Crowther.
He added that the finding “speaks to the biology of cancer.” This means that cancer is not new and probably happened over time as “an expected complication in all animals. ”
Evans admitted that although dinosaurs may be seen as mythical creatures, “they were living, breathing animals suffering from terrible injuries and diseases.”
I’m Bryan Lynn.
Reuters reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learn English, with additional information from the Royal Ontario Museum and McMaster University. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
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fossil – n. the mineralized remains of plants as well as animals that lived a long time ago
deformed – adj. not having the expected shape because of some problem affecting growth or development
tumor – n. a mass of tissue in the body that is made up of cells that are not normal
mank – adj. unable to run normally
signature – n. a sign that confirms the identity of something
horn – n. a hardened growth on the head of some animals such as cattle, goats and sheep
complication – n. a health problem that arises in addition to an existing one
mythical – adj. imaginary, something told in stories, but that is not real
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