The
article I am refering to suggest that cancer has been evolving since the development of multicellular life, billions of years ago. As life on earth has become more complex so has the ways that cancer manipulates the cells that occupy the organism.
Cancer causes the uncontrolled growth of cells that intrudes upon and destroys adjacent tissues. Scientist involved in this reseach have reasoned that cancer revisits the tried and true genetic pathways which is why it is so successful as a mutigen. Essentially as life has evolved from single cell bacteria to multicellular complex organisms cancer has done just the same with the same devistating results.
The research also suggests that there are a limited number of the genetic pathways that are favored by cells as they become progressively genetically unstable and malignant, implying that cancer could be manageable by new drugs as medicine becomes more advanced. This means that maybe there is hope to finally find a way to keep cancer at bay. Possibly the best way to see where cancer is going is to look at where it has been as these researchers suggest.
It is interesting to think that cancer is not some new thing that started up because of our microwaves and birth control bills. Great read. Insightful diagram too!
ReplyDeleteCiting a direct quote from the article; " If something springs the lock, the ancient genes systematically roll out the many traits that make cancer such a resilient form of life". This makes me wonder about tumor suppressor genes, are they the locks they are talking about? If they are, its just a matter of time (and money) until the genes are located and classified. Maybe a chemical means of expression control could be invented. Then one day, just like a hypothyroid person takes levothyroxine daily, people with *type of cancer* could take the *insert corporately created drug name* pill each day to control the disease. Could my idea be completely ridiculous? sure, but im an optimist.
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