The Evolution of Cancer Suppression Mechanisms

Cancer is generally seen as a by-product of the transition to multicellularity. In this view, cancer is a reflection of the breakdown of somatic cell cooperation that ultimately results in a reversion to a unicellular-like state. Under these circumstances, the evolutionary stability of multicellular individuals is thought to require a combination of mechanisms that prevent the occurrence of selfish cell mutants (i.e., mechanisms that decrease...