Beyond Peto’s paradox: expanding the study of cancer resistance across species

Peto's paradox, which highlights the lower-than-expected cancer rates in larger and/or longer-lived species, is a cornerstone of discussions at the intersection of ecology, evolution, and cancer research. It prompts investigations into how species with traits that theoretically increase cancer risk manage to exhibit cancer resistance, with the ultimate goal of uncovering novel therapies for humans. Building on these foundational insights, we propose expanding the research focus to species that, despite possessing traits beyond size and longevity that theoretically increase their cancer risk, exhibit unexpected cancer resistance. Testing Peto's paradox without interference from transient dynamics also requires considering species that are at an equilibrium between cancer risks and defenses, which is increasingly challenging due to anthropogenic activities. Additionally, we argue that transmissible cancers could significantly help in understanding how the metastatic process might be naturally suppressed. This research perspective is timely and aims to support the continued and in-depth identification of anti-cancer adaptations retained throughout evolution in the animal kingdom.