Cancer

Definition of Cancer

From the elephant glossary Section: disease

Random Literature

Cancer is a Group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread.

Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bleeding, prolonged cough, unexplained weight loss, and a change in bowel movements. While these symptoms may indicate cancer, they can also have other cause.

With elephants, the more common types of cancer is cancer in Feet, Uterus, Breasts, or Lymph nodes.

Elephants seem to have 20 different copies of a tumor-suppressing gene known as p53.

Selection pressure for cancer suppression is stronger in Species that are larger and live longer, thus humans have evolved more effective cancer suppression than mice, and larger animals, such as elephants and whales, have evolved more effective cancer suppression than humans.

Cancer incidence does not increase with body size and lifespan. The product of mass and lifespan is not a good predictor of cancer incidence as shown by the logistic regression (model fit shown as red line). The elephant data point is from data collected from Elephant Encyclopedia database and is based off of 644 annotated deaths (Koehl 1995-2012).

We analyzed data from the Elephant Encyclopedia (Koehl 1995-2012) on the cause of death for elephants in captivity in order to get an estimate of their age-incidence and overall lifetime risk of cancer (Figure 5). Out of 644 annotated deaths there were 20 cases of cancer/lethal tumors, resulting in a lifetime cancer incidence of 3.1%.

Using this calculation, the lifetime cancer death rate in elephants in captivity only increased to 4.8%, compared to the 25% lifetime cancer Mortality rates in humans in the United States (ACS
2013) and 13% worldwide (Ferlay et al. 2010).
Caulin, Aleah; "Petos Paradox and the Evolution of Cancer Suppression"

30 Deceased elephants due to cancer.

Name	Species Sex	Origin	Age	Birth	Death date	Death reason	Parents	Arrival Death location
+ -Andra-	EM F	unknown	62	1959?	2021-10-19	pathological Cancer in Uterus	x	Circus Rolando Orfei (Hanmar Circus, Coda Prin)
+ -Mala-	LA F	wild	36	1985	2021-07-30?	disease cancer in the Lymph nodes	x	1988-00-00 Platschow Elefantenhof
+ -Juno-	EM F	wild	51	1970	2021-03-18	euthanised breast cancer	x	2002-04-25 El Paso Zoo
+ -Pawankali-	EM F	wild	?		2020-03-02	disease cancer	x	Shri Panchayati Akhada Mahanirvani temple
+ -Hanako-	EM F	captive-born	57	1963-09-24	2020-02-15	euthanised cancer in foot	Thonglaw x Tuy Hoa	1997-12-09 Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
+ -Siri-	EM F	wild	52	1963-06-00	2015-06-24	euthanised because of cancer	x	2015-00-00 Knies Kinderzoo
+ -Bimbi-	EM F	wild	43	1971	2014-04-02	euthanised cancer	x	1972-00-00 Walding Zoo
+ -Lumni (Lubni, Luki, Lukky, Lucky)-	LA F	wild	32	1982	2014-03-19	euthanised Cancer in Uterus	x	2010-06-17 La Teste Zoo du Bassin d´Arcachon
+ -Limba-	EM F	wild	49	1964	2013-12-03	euthanised cancer	x	Bowmanville Zoo
+ -Sara-	LA F	wild	51	1962-00-00	2013-11-20	euthanised cancer	x	1964-09-08 Rostock Zoo
+ -Jenny-	EM F	wild	52	1961	2013-08-23	disease heart attack because of cancer	x	2009-04-04 Belfast Zoo (Bellevue Gardens)
+ -Mila-	EM F	unknown	40	1973	2013-07-18	disease cancer in Uterus	x	2008-06-30 Sapucaia Zoo
+ -Nelly-	EM F	wild	42	1970	2012-10-18	disease cancer?	x	1972-09-19 Rome Zoo
+ -Bandula-	LA M	wild	30	1982	2012-10-11	euthanised spleen cancer	x	Natal Zoological Gardens & Lion Park
+ -Loisaba-	LA F	wild	13	1998-01-00	2011-06-28	disease pneumonia indicating Elephant TB (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) or Cancer	x	Tsavo National Park
+ -Salaita-	LA M	wild	2	2008	2010-11-14	disease pneumonia indicating Elephant TB (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) or Cancer?	x	2010-09-25 DSWT Ithumba
+ -Darka-	EM F	unknown	42	1962	2004-07-14	disease brain cancer	x	1997-07-19 Danzig Zoo (Zoo Gdansk)
+ -Ungerly-	EM F	unknown	33	1970	2003	disease cancer	x	2000-00-00 Circus Mundial
+ -Emma Lou-	EM F	wild	?		2003	disease Stomach Cancer	x	1996-00-00 Wild Adventures
+ -Tharun-	EM M	captive-born	5	1995-12-25	2000-12-30	disease cancer?	Hussein x Thura	2000-06-29 Pont-Scorff Zoo
+ -Trulli-	EM F	wild	42	1958	2000-03-30	disease foot problems, foot cancer	x	1960-06-25 Karlsruhe Zoo
+ -Vijaya-	EM M	wild	36	1963	1999-09-11	disease brain cancer	x	1975-00-00 Pinnawala elephant orphanage
+ -Judy-	EM F	wild	52	1945	1997-10-08	disease Cancer	x	1949-07-19 Oklahoma City Zoo
+ -Pepita-	EM F	wild	45	1950	1995	disease Uterus cancer	x	1990-00-00 Zoolandia
+ -Nosey-	EM F	wild	47	1946	1993-10-14	euthanised arthritis; possible uterine cancer	x	1949-09-10 Fresno Chaffee Zoological Gardens
+ -Sonia (Sona)-	EM F	wild	35	1956	1991-10-16	euthanised hoof cancer	x	1967-09-10 Ostrava Zoo
+ -Zita-	EM F	wild	21	1969	1990-07-15	disease cancer in Pancreas	x	1987-08-11 Riga Zoo
+ -Gusti-	EM F	wild	15	1970	1985-06-05	disease Cancer	x	1978-01-01 Augsburg Zoo
+ -Timbo-	LA M	wild	17	1961	1978-05-03	disease cancer in the stomach	x	Ramat Gan Zoo
+ -Bambi-	EM F	wild	25	1952	1977	euthanised foot cancer	x	1955-00-00 Tierpark Berlin

Internal relevant links on website www.elephant.se

Cancer mentioned in The Elephant Database

No country match the word Cancer in the database.

9 locations holdings in the elephant database match the word Cancer.

Arthur Wirtz, private in Chicago
Bill Bouthellier, private in
Carl Hagenbecks Tierpark (Stellingen), zoo in Hamburg
Clyde Beatty (private), private in
Gene Holters Movieland Animals (Gene Holter), private in
John Wilson, circus in
Pinnawala elephant orphanage, orphanage in Kegalle
Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus (Red Unit), circus in Venice
Tsavo National Park, wild in

32 elephants in the elephant database match the word Cancer

EM-F Andra born 1959? arrived at Circus Rolando Orfei (Hanmar Circus, Coda Prin) in Italy
EM-F Bambi born 1952 arrived 1955-00-00 at Tierpark Berlin in Germany, from Firma Ruhe, in Germany.
LA-M Bandula born 1982 arrived at Natal Zoological Gardens & Lion Park in South Africa, from Brian Boswells Circus, in South Africa.
EM-F Bimbi born 1971 arrived 1972-00-00 at Walding Zoo in Austria, from Walter Sensen Zoo-Agentur, in Germany.
EM-F Darka born 1962 arrived 1997-07-19 at Danzig Zoo (Zoo Gdansk) in Poland, from Circus Julinek, in Poland.
EM-F Emma Lou born arrived 1996-00-00 at Wild Adventures in United States, from Oscar and Carin Cristiani, in United States.
EM-F Gusti born 1970 arrived 1978-01-01 at Augsburg Zoo in Germany
EM-F Hanako born 1963-09-24 arrived 1997-12-09 at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in United States, from Portland Zoo (Metro Washington Park Zoo), in United States.
EM-F Jenny born 1961 arrived 2009-04-04 at Belfast Zoo (Bellevue Gardens) in United Kingdom, from Hannover Zoo, in Germany.
EM-F Judy born 1945 arrived 1949-07-19 at Oklahoma City Zoo in United States, from Fort Worth Zoo, in United States.
EM-F Juno born 1970 arrived 2002-04-25 at El Paso Zoo in United States, from Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation, in United States.
EM-F Limba born 1964 arrived at Bowmanville Zoo in Canada, from Cirque Estival, in Canada.
LA-F Loisaba born 1998-01-00 arrived at Tsavo National Park in Kenya, from DSWT Voi, in Kenya.
LA-F Lumni (Lubni, Luki, Lukky, Lucky) born 1982 arrived 2010-06-17 at La Teste Zoo du Bassin d´Arcachon in France, from Parco Faunistico Le Cornelle, in Italy.
LA-F Mala born 1985 arrived 1988-00-00 at Platschow Elefantenhof in Germany
EM-F Mila born 1973 arrived 2008-06-30 at Sapucaia Zoo in Brazil, from Beto Carrero World, in Brazil.
EM-F Nelly born 1970 arrived 1972-09-19 at Rome Zoo in Italy, from Turin Zoo, in Italy.
EM-F Nosey born 1946 arrived 1949-09-10 at Fresno Chaffee Zoological Gardens in United States
EM-F Pawankali born arrived at Shri Panchayati Akhada Mahanirvani temple in India
EM-F Pepita born 1950 arrived 1990-00-00 at Zoolandia in Finland, from Suomen Tivoli, in Finland.
LA-M Salaita born 2008 arrived 2010-09-25 at DSWT Ithumba in Kenya
LA-F Sara born 1962-00-00 arrived 1964-09-08 at Rostock Zoo in Germany, from Firma Ruhe, in Germany.
EM-F Siri born 1963-06-00 arrived 2015-00-00 at Knies Kinderzoo in Switzerland, from Circus Knie, in Switzerland.
EM-F Sonia (Sona) born 1956 arrived 1967-09-10 at Ostrava Zoo in Czech Republic, from Dvur Kralove Zoo, in Czech Republic.
LA-M Sutton born 2014-05-05 arrived 2023-05-10 at Noahs Ark Zoo Farm in United Kingdom, from West Midland Safari Park, in United Kingdom.
EM-M Tharun born 1995-12-25 arrived 2000-06-29 at Pont-Scorff Zoo in France, from Carl Hagenbecks Tierpark (Stellingen), in Germany.
LA-M Timbo born 1961 arrived at Ramat Gan Zoo in Israel, from Tel Aviv Zoo, in Israel.
EM-F Trulli born 1958 arrived 1960-06-25 at Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany, from Frankfurt Zoo, in Germany.
EM-F Ungerly born 1970 arrived 2000-00-00 at Circus Mundial in Spain, from Billy Wilson Smart Circus, in United Kingdom.
LA-F Vanni born 1973 arrived 2005-10-03 at Nikolaev Zoo in Ukraine, from Zoolandia, in Finland.
EM-M Vijaya born 1963 arrived 1975-00-00 at Pinnawala elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka, from Sri Lanka National Zoological Gardens (Dehiwela Zoo), in Sri Lanka.
EM-F Zita born 1969 arrived 1987-08-11 at Riga Zoo in Latvia, from Moscow Zoo, in Russia.

Reference list Koehl, Dan, (2023). Cancer. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 20 September 2021 at https://www.elephant.se/index.php?id=218. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

Caulin, Aleah (July 1, 2014). "Petos Paradox and the Evolution of Cancer Suppression". repository.upenn.edu https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3040&context=edissertations ** https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27642012/ ** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer

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