Review
Nature Reviews Cancer 6, 924-935 (December 2006) | doi:10.1038/nrc2013
Cancer as an evolutionary and ecological process
Lauren M.F. Merlo1, John W. Pepper2, Brian J. Reid3 & Carlo C. Maley1 About the authors
Abstract
Neoplasms are microcosms of evolution. Within a neoplasm, a mosaic of mutant cells compete for space and resources, evade predation by the immune system and can even cooperate to disperse and colonize new organs. The evolution of neoplastic cells explains both why we get cancer and why it has been so difficult to cure. The tools of evolutionary biology and ecology are providing new insights into neoplastic progression and the clinical control of cancer.
- View At a Glance
Author affiliations
- Cellular and Molecular Oncology Program, The Wistar Institute, 3601 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Biological Sciences West, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, PO BOX 19024, Seattle, Washington 98109, and Departments of Medicine and Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
Correspondence to: Carlo C. Maley1 Email: cmaley@alum.mit.edu
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Clonal diversity in tumor progressionNature Genetics News and Views (01 Apr 2006)
Evolutionary biology Use it or lose itNature News and Views (12 Oct 2000)
See all 3 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Genetic clonal diversity predicts progression to esophageal adenocarcinomaNature Genetics Letter (01 Apr 2006)
Evolution of neoplastic cell lineages in Barrett oesophagusNature Genetics Letter (01 May 1999)
See all 7 matches for Research