Fruit cannot develop cancer in the same way humans and animals do. While plants can exhibit abnormal growths that might appear tumor-like, fundamental biological differences mean these growths are not analogous to animal cancer. This distinction arises from variations in cellular structure, circulatory systems, and regenerative processes.
Understanding Cancer in Biological Systems
Cancer in humans and animals is characterized by the uncontrolled division and spread of abnormal cells. These cells acquire genetic mutations, leading to unchecked proliferation. A hallmark of aggressive cancers is metastasis, where these malignant cells break away from the primary tumor and travel through the circulatory or lymphatic systems to establish new tumors in distant parts of the body. The complex, interconnected circulatory system in animals facilitates this widespread dissemination, making cancer a systemic threat.
Plant Growths and Abnormalities
Plants have significant biological differences that prevent them from developing cancer like animals. Plant cells possess rigid cell walls, which physically restrict the movement of cells and prevent them from migrating throughout the plant body. Unlike animals, plants lack a complex circulatory system that could transport aberrant cells to distant locations, thereby inhibiting metastasis. Furthermore, plants have remarkable regenerative capabilities, allowing them to compartmentalize and often recover from localized damage or abnormal growth.
Instead of cancer, plants develop various abnormal growths in response to external factors. Galls, for instance, are swellings of plant tissue often caused by insects, mites, bacteria, or fungi. These can appear on fruit, such as crown galls on apples, pears, and stone fruits.
Cankers are another type of localized abnormality, characterized by sunken, dead areas on stems or branches, which can also affect fruit. These are typically caused by fungal or bacterial infections, like apple canker or bacterial canker on stone fruits. Additionally, fasciation results in flattened, ribbon-like stems, flowers, or fruit, and can be caused by hormonal imbalances, genetic mutations, or environmental stressors. These growths are localized and do not spread throughout the plant like metastatic cancer.
Safety and Consumption of Affected Fruit
Consuming fruit with these types of plant abnormalities is generally considered safe for human consumption. Plant diseases are highly specific to their hosts and typically do not cause illness in humans. While an abnormal growth on a fruit might look unappetizing, it does not pose a cancer risk to humans.
It is a sensible practice to cut away any visibly affected areas of the fruit before eating, mainly because these sections might have an altered taste or texture due to spoilage or the presence of the abnormality itself. Severely damaged or moldy fruit should be discarded because certain molds can produce toxins or indicate significant decay.