Tas devils' tumours put under microscope

Tasmanian devils could be developing a resistance to fatal face tumours but it may not be all good news for the endangered marsupial, scientists say.

Researchers from the University of Tasmania who looked at two genetic types of devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) found they grow at different rates.

Dr Rodrigo Hamede, lead author of the study published in Scientific Reports, says research has pointed to some devils becoming more tolerant to the disease.

"Several studies have recently suggested that devils are adapting to DFTD," he said.

"Different genetic lineages of tumours have different growth rates and therefore impact on devils.

"Although some devils might be capable of altering the growth rate of tumours."

However, there may be a more sinister reason for some tumours hanging around for longer.

Tumours could be allowing devils to survive so they can infect as many of their counterparts as possible, Dr Hamede said.

"It is also important to understand the adaptive capability of tumours," he said.

"We expect that DFTD is evolving to reach its 'optimal virulence', that is, a tumour that allows its host to survive enough time to maximise transmission."

The study looked at a wild devils in northwest Tasmania which have been monitored by scientists for 11 years.

Up to 80 per cent of the native animal's population has been wiped out by the aggressive cancer, which was first spotted in the state in the mid-1990s.