Rare Contagious Cancer Found in Fish from Quebec and U. S. Lakes The discovery of a contagious cancer in fish from Quebec and U. S. lakes has sent shockwaves through the scientific community.
This phenomenon, where melanoma tumors spread from one individual to another, is extremely rare, observed only three other times before: in Tasmanian devils, dogs, and shellfish.
Researchers first encountered the issue when anglers reported strange black spots and lumps on brown bullhead catfish from Lake Memphremagog, which straddles the border between Quebec and Vermont.