Rejuvenation and Cancer
From CasGroup
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* Tumors themselves are like embryos | * Tumors themselves are like embryos | ||
* Tumor development resembles embryonic and fetal development | * 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. | ||
== 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 about | they also seem to be at the heart of every tumor, as new research about | ||
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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]] | ||
