Galapagos tortoises can live over 150 years in part because of self-destructing cells that help the reptiles avoid cancer, according to a new study.
The cells of the Galapagos tortoise are also incredibly resistant to stress the study found, which is why despite having a remarkably high cellular count they are able to withstand aging and hold off diseases like cancer that they are more prone to based on their size.
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These tortoises are frequently the focus of studies these days with experts using their findings to help inform research into human medicine.
Just this week another study was published in Environmental Pollution about the tortoises’ bacterial resistance to antibiotics.
The tortoises had long been thriving on account of their large size, slow metabolism, and a built in defense system that keeps out predators.
These traits were further amplified by gene variants which helped to boost the tortoises’ immune system, among them apoptosis which serves as a defense against cancer.
What is Apoptosis?
Apoptosis is the natural death of a cell which occurs as part of the growth and development of a living organism. The goal of many cancer treatments including chemotherapy is to induce the death of cancer cells.
In patients with some aggressive cancers, such as B-cell lymphoma, apoptosis is caused by the cocktail of drugs given to the patient.
R-CHOP is used for those lymphoma patients as well as individuals diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphomas to induce apoptosis.
The medication breaks down as such:
- R: Rituximab (Rituxan) is a monoclonal antibody that attaches to a specific protein called CD20, which sits on the surface of B cells. It targets the cancerous cells and destroys them.
- C: Cyclophosphamide damages the DNA to bock the cancer signal
- H: Hydroxydaunorubicin firther damages the dna fi
- O: Oncovin which prevents the cells from duplicating
- P: Prednisone is a steroid medication that brings down inflammation in the body.
In most cases, doctors deliver this regimen in cycles spaced three weeks apart for those with lymphoma to help minimize toxicities and allow patients time to recover between treatment cycles.
For those with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma it is used as a first-line therapy.
Cancerous cells have a hard time repairing themselves than healthy cells, which is how this cocktail helps to slow the spread of the disease in the body.
After three treatments a CT scan is taken of the patient’s body to see how the treatment is working against the disease.
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