Dinosaur fossils reveal cancer clues for modern medicine

Dinosaurs continue to fascinate many people. While skeletons draw attention, ancient tissues may reveal cancer-related secrets that are valuable to modern science.

A recent study co-authored by Professor Justin Stebbing at Anglia Ruskin University has shed new light on how these prehistoric animals could guide future cancer research efforts.

Dinosaur fossil shows signs of disease

The research team examined a rare fossil of Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a plant-eating dinosaur found in the late Cretaceous layers near the Hateg Basin in Romania.

The experts noted a possible ameloblastoma in its jaw, sparking questions about how ancient species grappled with diseases that still affect us today.

The team also observed structures that resemble erythrocytes, hinting that soft tissues may survive fossilization more often than presumed. This surprising preservation invites further study into how ancient cells might reveal the origins and evolution of cancer in such animals.

Dinosaurs faced trade-offs with cancer

Life-history theory looks at how organisms balance survival, growth, and reproduction. These trade-offs shape how species invest in things like immune function, tissue repair, and defenses against disease.

In large animals like dinosaurs, the cost of maintaining cancer resistance may have influenced how they grew or reproduced.

Understanding those trade-offs can help scientists see cancer not just as a random malfunction, but as something shaped by evolutionary pressures over millions of years.

Ancient proteins and cancer clues

Emerging techniques in paleoproteomics focus on identifying and analyzing ancient proteins.

Researchers use methods like scanning electron microscopy and mass spectrometry to pinpoint traces of molecules that usually degrade over time.

“Proteins, particularly those found in calcified tissues like bone, are more stable than DNA and are less susceptible to degradation and contamination,” noted Professor Stebbing.

“This makes them ideal candidates for studying ancient diseases, including cancer, in paleontological specimens.”

Cancer was common in some dinosaurs

Cancer has surfaced in the fossil record more often than many assume, with discoveries of tumors in multiple dinosaur species. Some experts believe these findings highlight the possibility that ancient giants evolved varied biological defenses against cancer.

“Dinosaurs, as long-lived, large-bodied organisms, present a compelling case for investigating how species managed cancer susceptibility and resistance over millions of years,” stated Professor Stebbing.

Observations of growth rates, tumor types, and unique skeletal structures might help researchers compare how large creatures from different eras adapted to internal threats.

Dinosaurs in cancer research

Studying dinosaurs gives researchers a rare look at how cancer developed in organisms that lived under very different conditions than today. These animals faced unique evolutionary pressures, including rapid growth, long lifespans, and fluctuating climates.

By comparing their biology to that of modern animals, scientists may uncover patterns that explain why certain species develop cancer more frequently, or why others appear to resist it altogether.

This kind of long-range comparison could lead to better prevention or treatment strategies in humans.

Ancient and modern cancer

An especially intriguing angle is the focus on shared pathways that drive cancer in both extinct and extant vertebrates.

Studies of the ameloblastoma in this Romanian dinosaur raise the question of whether certain molecular markers, such as BRAF V600E, followed a consistent pattern through prehistory.

“Unlike skeletal structures alone, soft tissues contain proteins that provide molecular information that can reveal the underlying biological mechanisms of disease,” said Professor Stebbing.

Ancient dinosaur diseases, including cancer, might guide how we protect large animals facing ecosystem stress today.

Careful storage of fossils

Soft tissue preservation depends heavily on how fossils are collected and stored. Exposure to air, moisture, or fluctuating temperatures can rapidly degrade proteins and other delicate biological materials.

That’s why researchers are calling for better coordination across institutions to ensure fossils are prepared and preserved in ways that maximize their long-term value.

Storing fossils under stable, low-humidity conditions, for example, can improve the chances of detecting molecular information decades later.

Fossils may lead to cancer breakthroughs

“Our research, using relatively underused methods, invites further exploration that could hold the key to future discoveries that could benefit humans,” said Professor Stebbing.

“However, it is crucial that long-term fossil conservation efforts are co-ordinated to ensure that future researchers have access to specimens suitable for cutting-edge molecular investigations.”

Collaborative approaches that unite dinosaur fossil conservation, cancer research, lab techniques, and interdisciplinary science could help future scientists uncover the roots of ancient diseases.

By preserving fossilized soft tissues alongside bones, experts may gain fresh perspectives on how diseases emerge, progress, and persist through shifting environments. These ancient remnants could advance modern cancer research in surprising ways.

The study is published in the journal Biology.

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