Rejuvenation and Cancer
From CasGroup
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| + | == Rejuvenation and Cancer == | ||
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| + | It is obvious that any mechanism which has the power to rejuvenate or regenerate | ||
| + | a system has also the power to destroy it: if the regeneration process goes | ||
| + | wrong, and something different is generated instead of the original system, | ||
| + | then the consequences are very severe. | ||
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| + | Cancer itself is like uncontrolled "rejuvenation" in an organism: "rejuvenation" went awry. | ||
| + | Like stem cells or embryonic cells, cancer cells do not age and can proliferate | ||
| + | without limits. Cancer cells and small tumors influence their environment to increase | ||
| + | local blood supply and they suppress the maternal immune system, just like embryos. | ||
| + | Cancer cells act like embryonic cells, who proliferate vigorously, are | ||
| + | capable of extensive migration, and secrete factors that increase the local supply of blood. | ||
| + | In general one can find many similarities, tumor cells may grow and spread by exploiting | ||
| + | the genetic programs normally active only during embryonic and fetal development | ||
| + | [http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=cancer-clues-from-embryos]: | ||
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| + | * Tumor originating cells ([[Cancer_Stem_Cell|cancer stem cells]]) are like stem cells | ||
| + | * Tumors themselves are like embryos | ||
| + | * Tumor development resembles embryonic and fetal development | ||
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| + | If there is indeed a close link between rejuvenation and cancer, | ||
| + | then the consequences would be severe: suppressing tumor promoting | ||
| + | proteins would prevent them from doing needed repair work, i.e. | ||
| + | suppressing cancer may increase aging processes, while rejuvenating | ||
| + | drugs which replace and repair damaged or senescent tissues would | ||
| + | increase the risk of cancer. | ||
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== Self-renewal and Stem Cells == | == Self-renewal and Stem Cells == | ||
| - | Self-renewal is the key property of stem cells. Although they belong to the | + | Self-renewal is the key property of stem cells. They are fundamental for organ |
| + | development and tissue repair. Although they belong to the | ||
most beneficial cells and enable rejuvenation and regeneration of the body, | most beneficial cells and enable rejuvenation and regeneration of the body, | ||
| - | they also seem to be at the heart of every tumor, as new research has found | + | they also seem to be at the heart of every tumor, as new research about |
| - | out. Is it possible that the same cells which are responsible for | + | [[Cancer_Stem_Cell|cancer stem cells]] has found out. Cancer cells and stem |
| - | maintaining a tissue or an organ are also responsible for destroying it | + | cells are disturbingly similar [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v460/n7259/full/4601085a.html]. |
| - | through the worst form of disease? | + | Is it possible that the same cells which are responsible for maintaining a tissue or |
| + | an organ are also responsible for destroying it through the worst form of disease? | ||
A link between self-renewal, [[Self-Rejuvenation|self-rejuvenation]] and self-reproduction would | A link between self-renewal, [[Self-Rejuvenation|self-rejuvenation]] and self-reproduction would | ||
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means one thing is replaced by another from within. | means one thing is replaced by another from within. | ||
| - | * Ecologies systems allow the self-rejuvenation by “granting the right” to create new species and to explore new ways to survive. In an ecological system, this freedom can lead to mass extinctions or | + | * Ecologies systems allow the self-rejuvenation by “granting the right” to create new species and to explore new ways to survive. In an ecological system, this freedom can lead to mass extinctions or epidemics caused by parasites or viruses with the capacity to damage or destroy the whole ecological system. |
* Economies allow the self-rejuvenation by granting the right to found new companies and to explore new market forms. In an economical system, this freedom can lead to market monopolies, which destroy the market system. Or it can lead to disruptive innovations which destroy a large number of existing companies by [[Creative Destruction|creative destruction]] | * Economies allow the self-rejuvenation by granting the right to found new companies and to explore new market forms. In an economical system, this freedom can lead to market monopolies, which destroy the market system. Or it can lead to disruptive innovations which destroy a large number of existing companies by [[Creative Destruction|creative destruction]] | ||
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* Science allows the self-rejuvenation by “granting the right” to create new theories and to explore new ways to explain nature. This freedom can lead to subsystems with the capacity to threaten the whole scientific system, for example in form of a paradigm shift. | * Science allows the self-rejuvenation by “granting the right” to create new theories and to explore new ways to explain nature. This freedom can lead to subsystems with the capacity to threaten the whole scientific system, for example in form of a paradigm shift. | ||
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| + | In a 1995 essay "Eternal Fascism", Umberto Eco attempts to | ||
| + | list general properties of fascist ideology. One could add | ||
| + | "lack of differentiation", "uncontrolled growth" beyond | ||
| + | the normal limits, invasion of adjacent systems, and | ||
| + | generally "malignant, aggressive and egoistic behavior" | ||
| + | to the list - the hallmarks of cancer. | ||
| + | Fascism is a bit like cancer for politics. The political | ||
| + | system allows the self-rejuvenation by granting the rights | ||
| + | to demonstrate and to found new parties. This can lead | ||
| + | to an ideology like fascism, which spreads and growths | ||
| + | like cancer, and eventually destroys the old system | ||
| + | completely. Cancer is the result of a self-renewal or | ||
| + | self-rejuvenation which has gone wrong. It is a bit like | ||
| + | the evolution of an ancient or alien life form inside of the | ||
| + | own system which is normally prohibited, and cancer | ||
| + | development is a remarkably similar to the process | ||
| + | of embryonic development and evolution itself. | ||
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In general, if a [[Complex_Adaptive_System|complex adaptive system]] has a built-in self-rejuvenation ability, and it grants it’s agents the rights to create and to found new elements, these elements can severely damage or threaten the function of the whole system. Any system which is able to remould and reinvent itself can replace itself by something else. | In general, if a [[Complex_Adaptive_System|complex adaptive system]] has a built-in self-rejuvenation ability, and it grants it’s agents the rights to create and to found new elements, these elements can severely damage or threaten the function of the whole system. Any system which is able to remould and reinvent itself can replace itself by something else. | ||
[[Category:Cancer]] | [[Category:Cancer]] | ||
