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
Published online 16 November 2006
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)
Linking pathways in colorectal cancerNature Genetics News and Views (01 Oct 2004)
RESEARCH
The structure of lactate dehydrogenase from Plasmodium falciparum reveals a new target for anti-malarial designNature Structural Biology Correspondence (01 Nov 1996)
Lengthening the G1 phase of neural progenitor cells is concurrent with an increase of symmetric neuron generating division after strokeJournal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism Original Article
See all 10 matches for Research