Alternative Perspectives on Cancer: Evolution, Fluid Mechanics, Inflammation, Mathematics, and Public Health
Researchers are constantly exploring new ways to understand and treat cancer, with unconventional viewpoints shedding fresh light on this complex disease. While traditional concepts focus on genetic damage and uncontrollable cell growth, alternative frameworks bring in areas such as mathematics, evolutionary game theory, and physics. These perspectives offer additional insights into preventing tumor spread and treatment resistance.
1. Evolution and natural selection in cancer:
Cancer can be seen as an evolutionary disease, where cells with genetic mutations outcompete their neighbors, benefiting at the expense of the organism as a whole. Researchers believe that understanding evolution is crucial for comprehending cancer. Screening programs are effective because early detection allows for easier removal of nascent tumors. Similarly, using evolutionary game theory can help reduce treatment resistance and optimize therapies, especially for children.
2. Fluid mechanics of cancer:
Tumor cells are influenced by their environment, and unlike healthy cells, they can thrive in stressful conditions. Mechanical engineer Yizeng Li found that a cell’s physical surroundings, including fluid viscosity, affect its movement and metastasis. Understanding how fluid viscosity impacts tumor cell movement could lead to better detection and treatment options for cancer before it spreads.
3. Inflammation link to cardiovascular disease:
Chronic inflammation is a shared risk factor for both cancer and cardiovascular disease. Biomedical engineer Bryan Smith suggests that treating these diseases simultaneously could improve patient outcomes. Drugs can be repurposed to target macrophages, immune cells that consume both cancer cells and contribute to cardiovascular plaques. Exploring molecular parallels could lead to better therapies for both diseases.
4. Mathematics of cancer:
Mathematics can play a crucial role in understanding cancer progression, particularly epigenetics. Epigenetic changes can alter cells and lead to cancer, but their random nature makes it difficult to distinguish pathological from normal activity. Incorporating stochasticity, the randomness of a process, into studying epigenetic changes can offer insights into cancer detection and drug design. Cancer geneticist Andrew Feinberg has been using the concept of entropy to describe the epigenetics of cancer.
5. Cancer as a public health issue:
While cancer develops in individuals, its causes and impact extend beyond personal choices. Lung cancer, for example, is often stigmatized as a consequence of smoking. However, the disease is on the rise among women, never-smokers, and younger individuals. Recognizing disparities in cancer diagnosis and treatment is vital, especially among marginalized populations. Inequities are often compounded by biases in medical education and limited access to preventive care.
In conclusion, viewing cancer through unconventional lenses allows researchers to gain new perspectives and find innovative approaches to prevention and treatment. By incorporating evolution, fluid mechanics, inflammation, mathematics, and public health perspectives, progress in understanding and combating cancer can be achieved. Collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and patient advocates is essential for effective and accessible cancer care for all.
