Adaptive Oncogenesis

Adaptive Oncogenesis
Author :
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Total Pages : 289
Release :
ISBN-13 : 9780674545397
ISBN-10 : 0674545397
Rating : 4/5 (97 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Adaptive Oncogenesis by : James DeGregori

Download or read book Adaptive Oncogenesis written by James DeGregori and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2018-03-09 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Popular understanding holds that genetic changes create cancer. James DeGregori uses evolutionary principles to propose a new way of thinking about cancerÕs occurrence. Cancer is as much a disease of evolution as it is of mutation, one in which mutated cells outcompete healthy cells in the ecosystem of the bodyÕs tissues. His theory ties cancerÕs progression, or lack thereof, to evolved strategies to maximize reproductive success. Through natural selection, humans evolved genetic programs to maintain bodily health for as long as necessary to increase the odds of passing on our genesÑbut not much longer. These mechanisms engender a tissue environment that favors normal stem cells over precancerous ones. Healthy tissues thwart cancer cellsÕ ability to outcompete their precancerous rivals. But as our tissues age or accumulate damage from exposures such as smoking, normal stem cells find themselves less optimized to their ecosystem. Cancer-causing mutations can now help cells adapt to these altered tissue environments, and thus outcompete normal cells. Just as changes in a speciesÕ habitat favor the evolution of new species, changes in tissue environments favor the growth of cancerous cells. DeGregoriÕs perspective goes far in explaining who gets cancer, when it appears, and why. While we cannot avoid mutations, it may be possible to sustain our tissuesÕ natural and effective system of defense, even in the face of aging or harmful exposures. For those interested in learning how cancers arise within the human body, the insights in Adaptive Oncogenesis offer a compelling perspective.


Adaptive Oncogenesis Related Books

Adaptive Oncogenesis
Language: en
Pages: 289
Authors: James DeGregori
Categories: Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2018-03-09 - Publisher: Harvard University Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Popular understanding holds that genetic changes create cancer. James DeGregori uses evolutionary principles to propose a new way of thinking about cancerÕs oc
Ecology and Evolution of Cancer
Language: en
Pages: 292
Authors: Beata Ujvari
Categories: Medical
Type: BOOK - Published: 2017-02-08 - Publisher: Academic Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Ecology and Evolution of Cancer is a timely work outlining ideas that not only represent a substantial and original contribution to the fields of evolution, eco
The Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Medicine
Language: en
Pages: 967
Authors: Martin Brüne
Categories: Medical
Type: BOOK - Published: 2019-01-31 - Publisher: Oxford University Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Medicine is grounded in the natural sciences, where biology stands out with regard to our understanding of human physiology and the conditions that cause dysfun
Evolution, Games, and God
Language: en
Pages: 398
Authors: Martin A. Nowak
Categories: Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2013-05-07 - Publisher: Harvard University Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

According to the reigning competition-driven model of evolution, selfish behaviors that maximize an organism’s reproductive potential offer a fitness advantag
Advances in Stem Cell Aging
Language: en
Pages: 135
Authors: K.L. Rudolph
Categories: Medical
Type: BOOK - Published: 2012-09-27 - Publisher: Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Adult stem cells are present in most postnatal tissues of mammals. Tissues with high rates of cell turnover depend on the functional capacity of stem cells for