Cancer has been around since multi-cellular life began to thrive, said a new study published in the journal, Nature in Communications.

Unfortunately, the study also seems to confirm there may not be a way of totally eradicating cancer.

Researchers were studying an ancient organism called a basal metazoan Hydra, which is much like a coral. While they knew the organism had genes that could cause cancer in humans, further studies showed the organism could also develop tumors.

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Upon closer investigation, researchers saw these tumors were similar to those found in humans. One tumor that only infected female Hydras was linked to ovarian cancer in women.

Researchers led by Thomas Bosch of Kiel University were able to prove tumors grew from an abundance of stem cells.

The stem cells accumulate in large quantities and aren't able to be naturally removed by what Bosch calls "programmed cell death."

The body acts like a circuit. If there are any unwanted or excess cells, the body kills them. Tumors, however, break those circuits, and neutralize cell death, letting cells grow unhindered.

A critical finding of the study found tumors are invasive. This means that if tumors are introduced to a healthy organism, a tumor will be triggered.

Bosch says this suggests these invasive characteristics are as old as the cancer; an "evolutionary old feature."

While research into the origin of cancer is a promising step to battling and neutralizing it for good, Bosch says cancer will probably never be eradicated.

Despite the millions of dollars and pooled efforts towards cancer research and treatment, the World Health Organization states that cancer is still the number one cause of death worldwide.

TagsCancer, Thomas Bosch, basal metazoan Hydra, tumors