Fish get sick with cancer more often because of Baltic Sea pollution

A doctoral dissertation recently defended at the University of Tartu indicates that at least 300 species of fish are known to suffer from cancer, many of them caused by pollution. Tumors mainly occur on the skin, gills and liver of fish.

As the author of the study notes, this issue is extremely relevant, but so far little has been studied. However, the development of technology makes it possible to cheapen genetic analysis methods, which, in turn, makes it possible to accelerate the study of the subject. The ability to sequence the genetic material of fish allows a better understanding of the ability of species to adapt to various toxic compounds.

As part of his work, the scientist studied some of the most polluted seas in the entire world - the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. He tried to shed light on the mechanism by which pollution causes cancer. Free radicals, which are produced in the body by pollutants, play a key role. These, in turn, break DNA and cause various mutations.

The results of the doctoral dissertation suggest that more attention should be paid to the long-term effects of pollution. Diseases such as cancer do not develop overnight, but they do a lot of damage to marine life.