Fruit Flies in Cancer Research
- Science Holic
- May 31
- 3 min read
Author: Shuhan Yu
Editors: Oscar Chen, Winnie Mok
Artist: Jenny Luo
Although fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) may be small and simple insects, they play a huge role in cancer research. Scientists use them to study how cancer forms, progresses, and spreads. However, there seems to be a difference between fruit flies and humans because about 75% of humans' disease-linked genes, such as cancer genes, have equivalent ones in fruit flies. This allows for the possibility of fruit flies being a model for scientists in the study of cancer at a genetic level.
Another reason why fruit flies are ideal for cancer research is that they can reproduce quickly. A single fly can produce hundreds of eggs, and the next generation develops in about two weeks or so. Despite the lifespans of the flies being short, scientists are allowed to watch the changes in numerous generations in comparatively little time. However, mouse or human tests take much longer. Because fruit flies also have a simpler genetic system, scientists can easily study the effect of some mutations that are known to induce cancer. Scientists can even test cancer drugs on fruit flies.
Scientists can genetically engineer flies to carry genetic mutations such as those that cause human cancer and watch for tumor growth and test treatments. Because the flies are small and inexpensive to maintain, it is possible for scientists to rapidly test large amounts of drugs on them at once. Next, the drug can be tested on mice and potentially humans after it has shown effectiveness in the flies. It accelerates the speed at which scientists can develop potential treatments against cancer. Fruit flies can also be used to study key cancer-related processes such as abnormal cell growth and cell division. Most cancers develop when cells begin to grow out of control. Scientists have found that certain gene pathway groups, such as the Ras, Notch, and Wnt pathways, are principal contributors to cancer. Since fruit flies share these pathways, scientists can discover more about what goes wrong in cancer and how to fix it by studying them in flies. Fruit flies can also be used to study the way that cancer cells interact with the environment. Cancer does not occur in a vacuum, as cancer cells interact with surrounding tissue. Scientists use fruit flies to examine how cancer metastasizes, or spreads to other parts of the body. If scientists can understand this, then they can potentially develop methods and treatments to prevent cancer from spreading in humans.
Even with these advantages, there are a few drawbacks to using fruit flies for scientific research: they do not have the same complex anatomy that humans have, such as an adaptive immune system, which plays a role in how the body reacts to cancer. Some human cancers also occur in some organs that fruit flies don't have, such as reproductive organs, including uterine cancer, along with female glands. Because of these differences, scientists will need to test their findings in more complicated models, such as mice, before transferring them to humans.
Regardless, fruit flies have proven to be a useful addition to cancer research. Their genetic simplicity, quick breeding, and homology to human disease genes make them an excellent model for cancer research. Research on fruit flies has made significant scientific advancements: they have allowed scientists to learn more about the origins of cancer, how it develops, and even the possibility of treatments. Each new finding that scientists discover through these tiny organisms brings us one step closer to being able to find a cure for cancer.
Citations:
Claudio. “Fruit Flies, Model Organisms and ‘Cancer Avatars’ for Personalized Cancer
Medicine.” Vitares, 10 Nov. 2021, www.vitares.org/en/magazine-en/226-fruit-flies-
“Fruit Fly Research Solves Human Disease and Fuels New Cancer Immunotherapy
Approach.” News, 6 Jan. 2024, www.news-medical.net/news/20240105/Fruit-fly-
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