Asian monitor lizards are a common sight in the Thai capital, Bangkok, thriving on the waste of a mega-city. Many Thais believe they bring bad luck, but scientists think they could be the key to unlocking new cancer treatments.

Bangkok

Monitor lizards, often seen in Bangkok and generally regarded as pests, are being studied by Thai scientists for their potential medical benefits. Researchers at a leading medical university have discovered proteins in the lizards' blood that show promise in fighting breast, skin, and liver cancer. 

The lizards' ability to survive in polluted and disease-ridden environments has prompted scientists to investigate their biology for antibacterial and anticancer properties. Despite facing challenges from urban development and negative public perception, these reptiles may provide important insights for future cancer treatments.

Prehistoric reptiles could help treat cancer

It's not easy to survive in the urban jungle, but in Bangkok's Lampini Park, one apex predator thrives. The monitor lizard, up to two meters long, razor-sharp claws and a tail like a bullwhip. Everyone knows to steer clear. Inevitably, monitor lizards have invaded the human world. A prehistoric monster, clambering up the shelves of your local convenience store. Even home invasions, uninvited amphibians striding confidently inside, much to the consternation of the residents. Bangkok's emergency services get more calls about monitor lizards than fires. They're not much loved. Their name in Thai is a highly offensive curse, and people usually want them gone. But, say the firefighters, they're misunderstood. Some films or soap operas portray them as animals that eat corpses and carcasses. This makes people scared of them, even though they prefer solitude. They don't hurt people. They will run away first before they fight. And some of their most unappealing qualities could actually be an asset. Despite their status as one of Bangkok's most unloved residents, scientists say the monitor lizard could be hiding secrets in its blood that may be incredibly useful to human beings. At one of Thailand's top medical research universities, they found proteins in the monitor lizards that appear to be very good at fighting breast, skin and liver cancer. People have been trying to find antibacterials from other sources, especially from plants or animals. So we looked at animals that live in conditions that are dirty and full of disease, but can still survive. So we started with monitor lizards. But even the monitor lizards are struggling in some of Bangkok's polluted waterways. Sri Sudha has lived here for 85 years. She likes to feed the lizards on leftover scraps from the market, but now she doesn't see them much. When people build buildings, they barely survive because people chase them and beat them. So they don't come. Slithering around in the stinking mud and sewage, life is tough for these reviled reptiles. But down in the swamp, only the fittest survive. Tony Chang, Al Jazeera, Bangkok.

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