Chicken Cancer?

[Minnowey]

Looking at a sunburned Dalmatian started to make me thing about animal skin cancer, and then I began to wonder whether a chicken's comb can get skin cancer?? I would be grateful for an answer. Thanks in advance, Minnowey,

 

[sunflour]

Poultry can get most of the same cancers as humans and other mammals, so IMO yes, they can.

 

[azygous]

Cancers are one of the most common causes of disabilities and death in chickens, but most are different than human cancers in origin. But the tumors are no less painful and destructive. Melanoma, basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers are rare if non-existent because chickens don't live long enough for the sun to do its damage on their exposed flesh, just as it takes humans years to develop them.

Chicken cancers develop mainly from contagious viruses such as Marek's and lymphotic leucosis. The tumors can become quite hideous, growing on heart, lungs, liver, bones, etc. These tumors usually develop in older chickens after they've been carrying the virus for several years, although older chicks often die from these viruses after early exposure. As far as i know, Marek's is the only one with a vaccine, though there is no cure for any of them.