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---
title: Cancer in Fish: Rare Tumor Discovered in Pennsylvania Smallmouth Bass
description: It's the first confirmed case of its kind in the Susquehanna River
canonical: https://time.com/3851735/cancer-smallmouth-bass/
author: Sarah Begley
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2015-05-08T14:50:38.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T07:03:12.206Z
article:section: Science
og:title: Rare Cancer Discovered in Pennsylvania Smallmouth Bass
og:description: It's the first confirmed case of its kind in the Susquehanna River
og:url: https://time.com/3851735/cancer-smallmouth-bass/
og:site_name: TIME
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og:image:width: 5120
og:image:height: 2880
og:image:alt: A smallmouth bass fish
og:type: article
twitter:card: summary_large_image
twitter:title: Rare Cancer Discovered in Pennsylvania Smallmouth Bass
twitter:description: It's the first confirmed case of its kind in the Susquehanna River
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4492be077773dc0e/6987eeefe20a87fe78a894a8/smallmouth-bass.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4492be077773dc0e/6987eeefe20a87fe78a894a8/smallmouth-bass.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Rare Cancer Discovered in Pennsylvania Smallmouth Bass

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by 

[Sarah Begley](https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/)


## Sarah Begley


May 8, 2015 2:50 PM UTC

![A smallmouth bass fish](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4492be077773dc0e/6987eeefe20a87fe78a894a8/smallmouth-bass.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

A smallmouth bass fish, Genoa, Wisconsin .

A smallmouth bass fish, Genoa, Wisconsin . Joel Sartore—National Geographic/Getty Images

by 

[Sarah Begley](https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/)


## Sarah Begley


May 8, 2015 2:50 PM UTC

A rare cancerous tumor was [discovered](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/05/05/a-susquehanna-river-angler-caught-a-smallmouth-bass-with-a-rare-cancerous-tumor/) on a smallmouth bass pulled out of the Susquehanna River.

The fish was caught last year, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission confirmed the case this week. Fish are not particularly susceptible to cancer, and it’s the first such case in the species in that location, though fish were previously found with sores and lesions, the Washington _Post_ reports.

The disease may be the result of pollution, and officials want the river to be included on the EPA’s list of “impaired waterways.” The EPA, however, says it bases that list on water quality, not the health of species living there.

A Pennsylvania Department of Health official said that consuming fish with cancer should not pose a risk to humans, but urged fishers not to eat those with sores and lesions.

\[[_Washington Post_](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/05/05/a-susquehanna-river-angler-caught-a-smallmouth-bass-with-a-rare-cancerous-tumor/)\]

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