Selfish Cells: Cancer as Microevolution

Scientific Article #3
Biology with Lab for Non-Majors 100 21
Skyelar-Bree Boisvert
February 18, 2014


Image URL:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v501/n7467/images/nature12628-f2.jpg
Summary:
This article is about cancer and what they call Selfish Cells. Properties of cancer can result
from microevolutionary selection pressures which happen in the development and growth the
damanged cells. Cancer cells evolve separately. Carcinogens release oxidizing free radicals
within the body; oxidation promotes cell division
(http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2007/pdf/2007-v22n03-p137.pdf). Any tumor cell
whether its lung cancer, breast cancer, pancreas cancer, etc., they all have properties which have
selective advantages. Cancer cells cane stimulate blood vessel growth, which is known as
angiogenesis (http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2007/pdf/2007-v22n03-p137.pdf).
Cancer cells have a large number of chromosomes that have been damanged. The process of
development for cancer can lead to a formation of new species called Selfish Cells
(http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2007/pdf/2007-v22n03-p137.pdf). I quote from the
article The core requirement for microevolution of cancer is error-prone cell proliferation
(http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2007/pdf/2007-v22n03-p137.pdf). Cancer is
development begins with increased abnormal cell division. This article also talks about tumors
and the size of their growth.
Topic:
This article talks about cancer as microevolution. This weeks discussion was about evolutionary
thought, microevolution, and macroevolution. The generation of new species and or cell can take
millions of years or evolution. Cells divide by Mitosis and each daughter cell inherits the same
number of chromosomes as the parent; when cancer cells divide, the chromosomes can change.
Scientific theories are important in evolutionary thought. The aneuploidy theory of cancer is
what proposes that cancer cells have irregular numbers of chromosomes
(http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2007/pdf/2007-v22n03-p137.pdf).
Scientific Pathways:
Exploration and discovery:
Through the years, researchers and scientist have noticed that the evolution of cancer cells is
changing and that there is a new species called the Selfish Cell which is a type of cancer cell
(http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2007/pdf/2007-v22n03-p137.pdf).
Testing Ideas:
Scientist have run hundreds of test for cancer. They have to test their ideas for treatment and test
for the cancer gene.
Community Analysis and Feedback:
Due to all the testing being done in the labs over the years, scientist have discovered the selfish
cell. Scientist have also found treatments that get rid of some cancer and help slow down the
process of other cancers.
Benefits and outcomes:
The outcomes and benefits of these test is that now we know what can cause cancer, what helps
cancer, and what can worsen cancer. We also now know about the Selfish cell and what it has
become.
Application:
Cancer is a very serious disease that has not only impacted my life in several ways, but a lot
others too. I lost my great grandfather and my grandfather both to lung cancer when I was a
child. Within the last 10 years, my aunt Linda had developed breast cancer and lost her breast to
it, but she did survive it and has been about a year free of cancer. Recently my mom has
discovered a tumor in her breast and it could be cancerous.