Leukemia is killing our clams!

Well, if this isn't unappetizing news!  A cancer is transmitting itself from clam to clam:

The cancerous cells multiply, break free, and survive in seawater long enough to find their way to new clam hosts. For now, the team aren’t sure when the cancer first arose or what role (if any) Steamer plays in that origin. The findings do indicate, however, that the “horizontal transmission” of cancer is more common than we thought.

Terrible, terrible news for our favourite sea friends.