Atlantic-origin contagious cancer hits Puget Sound clams, signaling marine disease risk

Scientists identified a fast-spreading case of bivalve transmissible neoplasia in Puget Sound soft-shell clams, with genetic evidence linking the outbreak to Atlantic Coast lineages; infection rates at two sites surpassed 75% by 2024, and environmental DNA found cancer-related material in nearby waters, highlighting potential impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities and prompting monitoring of disease spread in wild shellfish.