Cancer – The Evolution of Adaptation
Cancer is an uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells that invades surrounding tissues and spreads to distant organs. It is also considered a disease of the genome, affecting genes that control the way cells grow and behave. Cancer may be inherited, or it can develop as the result of exposure to certain risk factors, such as tobacco and sun exposure. There is a wide range of treatment options available, depending on the type and stage of cancer. The good news is that, even though we still have a long way to go in finding a cure, there has been significant progress in recent years. Doctors now know how to better find and treat many kinds of cancer at an early stage, when they are easier to cure. They also have more and better treatments to try if one type of therapy doesn’t work.
Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things, from bacteria to multicellular organisms such as plants and animals. Individual cells can acquire genetic changes that confer an advantage in a specific environment or situation, and those individuals are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass these advantageous traits on to their offspring (i.e., natural selection). Cancer cells have acquired such adaptations, which can include resistance to apoptosis and evasion of the immune system. These characteristics can drive tumor growth and evolution.
In the case of cancer, these adaptations also drive a cellular struggle for existence against normal cells that surround and support the tumor. This process is known as Darwin’s “survival of the fittest,” and it can be described as a form of cancer-driven speciation.
A cancerous cell becomes more adapted to its environment, and its growth, survival, and ability to pass on its advantageous characteristics to its progeny all drive a self-sustaining evolutionary process that can lead to lethal phenotypes (25). This is the fundamental sense of what “cancer” means: the loss of normal control mechanisms and evolution toward a lethal phenotype.
The most important thing you can do to help prevent cancer is to get regular cancer screening tests. Talk to your doctor about what types of screening tests are right for you. You should also share your family health history with your doctor, because some people are at higher risk for developing certain types of cancer due to inherited mutations in their genes.
In addition, you should try to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol use. These preventive behaviors are effective against most cancers, and they can also lower your risk for other serious diseases.
Cancer is an uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells that invades surrounding tissues and spreads to distant organs. It is also considered a disease of the genome, affecting genes that control the way cells grow and behave. Cancer may be inherited, or it can develop as the result of exposure to certain risk factors, such as tobacco and sun exposure. There is a wide range of treatment options available, depending on the type and stage of cancer. The good news is that, even though we still have a long way to go in finding a cure, there has been significant progress in recent years. Doctors now know how to better find and treat many kinds of cancer at an early stage, when they are easier to cure. They also have more and better treatments to try if one type of therapy doesn’t work. Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things, from bacteria to multicellular organisms such as plants and animals. Individual cells can acquire genetic changes that confer an advantage in a specific environment or situation, and those individuals are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass these advantageous traits on to their offspring (i.e., natural selection). Cancer cells have acquired such adaptations, which can include resistance to apoptosis and evasion of the immune system. These characteristics can drive tumor growth and evolution. In the case of cancer, these adaptations also drive a cellular struggle for existence against normal cells that surround and support the tumor. This process is known as Darwin’s “survival of the fittest,” and it can be described as a form of cancer-driven speciation. A cancerous cell becomes more adapted to its environment, and its growth, survival, and ability to pass on its advantageous characteristics to its progeny all drive a self-sustaining evolutionary process that can lead to lethal phenotypes (25). This is the fundamental sense of what “cancer” means: the loss of normal control mechanisms and evolution toward a lethal phenotype. The most important thing you can do to help prevent cancer is to get regular cancer screening tests. Talk to your doctor about what types of screening tests are right for you. You should also share your family health history with your doctor, because some people are at higher risk for developing certain types of cancer due to inherited mutations in their genes. In addition, you should try to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol use. These preventive behaviors are effective against most cancers, and they can also lower your risk for other serious diseases.