Devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) is an emergent transmissible cancer exclusive to Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) and threatening the species with extinction in the wild. Research on DFTD began 10 years ago, when nothing was known about the tumor and little about the devils. The depth of knowledge gained since then is impressive, with research having addressed significant aspects of the disease and the devils’ responses to it. These include the cause and pathogenesis of DFTD, the immune response of the devils and the immune evasion mechanisms of the tumor, the transmission patterns of DFTD, and the impacts of DFTD on the ecosystem. This review aims to collate this information and put it into the context of conservation strategies designed to mitigate the impacts of DFTD on the devil and the Tasmanian ecosystem.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Tasmanian devil, devil facial tumor disease, transmissible cancer, immune response, genetics, Schwann cell, allograft, immune evasion, tumor escape
Research Division:	Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:	Immunology
Research Field:	Cellular immunology
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Pye, RJ (Ms Ruth Pye)
UTAS Author:	Woods, GM (Professor Gregory Woods)
UTAS Author:	Kreiss, A (Dr Alexandre Kreiss)
ID Code:	107017
Year Published:	2016 (online first 2015)
Web of Science® Times Cited:	10
Deposited By:	Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Deposited On:	2016-03-01
Last Modified:	2017-11-07
Downloads:	0