# Ingesting a Tapeworm.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 26, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570 "2019-05-26T20:36:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570/21 "2019-05-29T14:34:34Z")

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It’s inconceivable.

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570/22 "2019-05-29T15:52:05Z")

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> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> What do you think it means?

Did you ever see the movie “The Fly” (remake starring Jeff Goldblum)?

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**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570/23 "2019-05-29T16:08:02Z")

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> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> What do you think it means?

Tapeworm DNA is getting into the human cells. Is it just there as trash? Or is it getting into the nucleus and incorporated into the host’s chromosomes?

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570/24 "2019-05-29T20:19:04Z")

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> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#):
>
> Tapeworm DNA is getting into the human cells. Is it just there as trash? Or is it getting into the nucleus and incorporated into the host’s chromosomes?

My take is that it got incorporated into human cells which then turned cancerous.

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**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570/25 "2019-05-29T20:34:44Z")

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But will I be able to master a holophoner?!

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**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570/26 "2019-05-29T21:14:53Z")

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> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> My take is that it got incorporated into human cells which then turned cancerous.

It could be separate, cancerous tapeworm cells that are mobile and growing here and there. Not that that’s better.

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**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingesting-a-tapeworm/834570/27 "2019-05-29T21:36:16Z")

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Good doctor **Mercotan** , what’s your take on helminthic therapy?

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