Uploaded July 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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In this film scientists describe how the immune system works and how it can go wrong in cancer. In Tasmanian devils affected by a transmissible cancer the body's natural immune system is unable to detect the cancer.

This video is from 'Saving the Devil' -- a multimedia resource that tells the story of the Tasmanian devil and how science, in particular genomics, is playing a role in trying to save the species from extinction.

Find out more about cancer on our website here: yourgenome.org/theme/is-cancer-a-genetic-disease