Diet Determinants of Animal Cancer Mortality Risk with Statistical Models

Large body size and long-life span are variables commonly correlated to the rise of cancer risks since animals larger in size and longevity undergo more cell divisions, which increases the rate of accumulation of mutations. This study investigates Peto's Paradox, which is a logical challenge that denies the association between these variables and cancer risks among vertebrates. Cancer mortality risk (CMR) was calculated across non-domesticated animals to investigate cancer-related deaths across different species. Statistical models revealed a negative correlation between body mass and cancer mortality, with larger species exhibiting lower cancer risks. Statistical tests showed that consuming vertebrates, birds, and mammals increases animals’ CMR. Gradient Boosting Regressor was the best algorithm to predict CMR among animal populations. These results support Peto's paradox and suggest that with the increase of CMR, animals with larger body mass evolved cancer defense mechanisms. Overall, this study emphasizes the need for further research into cross-species cancer risks and anticancer mechanisms in animals.