Open AccessApplying ecological and evolutionary theory to cancer: a long and winding road
Author(s) -
Thomas Frédéric,
Fisher Daniel,
Fort Philippe,
Marie JeanPierre,
Daoust Simon,
Roche Benjamin,
Grunau Christoph,
Cosseau Céline,
Mitta Guillaume,
Baghdiguian Stephen,
Rousset François,
Lassus Patrice,
Assenat Eric,
Grégoire Damien,
Missé Dorothée,
Lorz Alexander,
Billy Frédérique,
Vainchenker William,
Delhommeau François,
Koscielny Serge,
Itzykson Raphael,
Tang Ruoping,
Fava Fanny,
Ballesta Annabelle,
Lepoutre Thomas,
Krasinska Liliana,
Dulic Vjekoslav,
Raynaud Peggy,
Blache Philippe,
QuittauPrevostel Corinne,
Vignal Emmanuel,
Trauchessec Hélène,
Perthame Benoit,
Clairambault Jean,
Volpert Vitali,
Solary Eric,
Hibner Urszula,
Hochberg Michael E.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
evolutionary applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 68
ISSN - 1752-4571
DOI - 10.1111/eva.12021
Subject(s) - biology , evolutionary medicine , darwinism , cancer , evolutionary ecology , process (computing) , ecology , cognitive science , evolutionary biology , computer science , genetics , host (biology) , psychology , operating system
Since the mid 1970s, cancer has been described as a process of Darwinian evolution, with somatic cellular selection and evolution being the fundamental processes leading to malignancy and its many manifestations (neoangiogenesis, evasion of the immune system, metastasis, and resistance to therapies). Historically, little attention has been placed on applications of evolutionary biology to understanding and controlling neoplastic progression and to prevent therapeutic failures. This is now beginning to change, and there is a growing international interest in the interface between cancer and evolutionary biology. The objective of this introduction is first to describe the basic ideas and concepts linking evolutionary biology to cancer. We then present four major fronts where the evolutionary perspective is most developed, namely laboratory and clinical models , mathematical models , databases , and techniques and assays . Finally, we discuss several of the most promising challenges and future prospects in this interdisciplinary research direction in the war against cancer.