Unraveling the Secrets of Mushroom Immortality: Defying Cancer for Centuries

Researchers from Wageningen University & Research propose a hypothesis to explain why some fungi, like long-lived mushrooms, can live for hundreds of years without getting cancer. They suggest that these fungi have a special type of cell division called a clamp connection, which acts as a screening device for the quality of the nucleus. This mechanism reduces the risk of nucleus cancers, unlike short-lived fungi that are prone to developing such cancers. The findings provide insights into Peto's paradox, which states that there is little variation in lifetime-cancer risk between animal species.