Volume 101, March 2015, Pages 19–26
Highlights
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- Oncogenic phenomena are observed in nearly the entire animal kingdom.
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- They are both frequent and detrimental for animals.
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- Behaviours may evolve due to the selection associated with oncogenic processes.
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- The study of those behaviours deserves to receive more attention.
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- This research area may lead to applications for cancer prevention and treatments.
Scientists
are increasingly coming to realize that oncogenic phenomena are both
frequent and detrimental for animals, and must therefore be taken into
account when studying the biology of wildlife species and ecosystem
functioning. Here, we argue that several behaviours that are routine in
an individual's life can be associated with cancer risks, or conversely
prevent/cure malignancies and/or alleviate their detrimental
consequences for fitness. Although such behaviours are theoretically
expected to be targets for natural selection, little attention has been
devoted to explore how they influence animal behaviour. This essay
provides a summary of these issues as well as an overview of the
possibilities offered by this research topic, including possible
applications for cancer prevention and treatments in humans.
Keywords
- habitat selection;
- interspecific interactions;
- oncogenic processes;
- prophylactic behaviours;
- self-medication;
- tumours
Copyright © 2014 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.