Elephants are naturally protected from cancer

American researchers have reported finding something they are calling the "zombie gene"; in elephants that seemingly protects them from contracting cancer.

When the cells of an organism divide, they can mutate. These mutations damage the DNA,
thus increasing the risk of a cancer developing.

In the past, it was believed that the risk of developing cancer was proportionate to the
number of cells in the organism, something we now know to be wrong. Elephants, which
have 100 times more cells than humans, are actually much less affected by this disease.

They possess several copies of a certain gene p53, which apparently enables them to
activate one of the LIF6 gene copies. This gene, in turn, causes the death of cells (apoptosis)
before they even become cancerous. It is a highly interesting finding that could lead to new
cancer-fighting approaches to be developed in humans.