Contagious cancer found in clams

Third example of transmissible malignancy poses no threat to people

Soft-shell clams

CLAMTASTROPHE  Soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria) can get a contagious form of leukemia when cancer cells migrate from one clam to another, a new study shows. The clam disease poses no risk to humans.

Michael J. Metzger

A leukemia-like disease in soft-shell clams is a contagious cancer that spreads from clam to clam, a new study finds.