A new study published in the journal Biology suggests that advanced techniques used to study dinosaur fossils might help scientists better understand cancer.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University and Imperial College London analysed the fossil of a duck-billed dinosaur called Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus.
This plant-eating dinosaur lived around 66 to 70 million years ago in what is now Romania.
Using a special technique called scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the scientists were able to detect tiny structures inside the fossil that resemble red blood cells.
These structures, called erythrocytes, are usually found in soft tissue and are not often preserved in fossils. This finding suggests that soft tissue may survive in ancient remains more often than previously believed.
The researchers used paleoproteomic methods—techniques that examine proteins in old specimens—to look for preserved molecules. Unlike DNA, which breaks down easily, proteins in bones are more stable and less likely to be contaminated. This makes them useful for studying ancient diseases, including cancer.
Scientists believe that by studying these preserved proteins and biomarkers, we may be able to learn how diseases like cancer affected ancient animals.
This could give us insights into how diseases have evolved and how organisms have resisted or managed illnesses over millions of years. One earlier study already found signs of cancer in this same species, Telmatosaurus, indicating that cancer has deep evolutionary roots.
Professor Justin Stebbing, one of the authors of the study, said that large, long-lived creatures like dinosaurs offer an important opportunity to explore how species managed cancer risks.
He explained that soft tissues, unlike bones, contain valuable proteins that provide molecular details about the biology of diseases. He added that their research, which used techniques not often applied in paleontology, could open the door to future discoveries that may even benefit human health.
The study also calls for better preservation of soft tissue in fossils. Most fossil collections focus on bones, but soft tissue holds more detailed molecular information. As technology continues to improve, preserved soft tissues could allow researchers to learn much more about how diseases evolved—and possibly help us fight those diseases today.
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