While species-specific anticancer mechanisms have been identified, for example in extant Proboscideans (elephants) which has a low prevalence of cancer has ~20 copies of the tumor suppressor gene TP53 (7), or Myotis pilosus (Rickett’s big-footed bat) which also has a low prevalence of cancer has downregulation of multiple known cancer-associated genes (HIF1A, COPS5, and RPS) (8), yet broader empirical or analytic phylogenetic evidence has remained elusive. Here, COPS5 is linked to cancer.