New theory uncovers cancer's deep evolutionary roots

Tracing cancer back to the dawn of multicellularity could explain its mysterious properties and transform therapy

2013-07-12

(Press-News.org) TEMPE, Ariz. -- A new way to look at cancer -- by tracing its deep evolutionary roots to the dawn of multicellularity more than a billion years ago -- has been proposed by Paul Davies of Arizona State University's Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science in collaboration with Charles Lineweaver of the Australian National University. If their theory is correct, it promises to transform the approach to cancer therapy, and to link the origin of cancer to the origin of life and the developmental processes of embryos.

Davies and Lineweaver are both theoretical physicists and cosmologists with experience in the field of astrobiology -- the search for life beyond Earth. They turned to cancer research only recently, in part because of the creation at Arizona State University of the Center for the Convergence of Physical Science and Cancer Biology. The Center is one of twelve established by the National Cancer Institute to encourage physical scientists to lend their insights into tackling cancer.

The new theory challenges the orthodox view that cancer develops anew in each host by a series of chance mutational accidents. Davies and Lineweaver claim that cancer is actually an organized and systematic response to some sort of stress or physical challenge. It might be triggered by a random accident, they say, but thereafter it more or less predictably unfolds.

Their view of cancer is outlined in the article "Exposing cancer's deep evolutionary roots," written by Davies. It appears in a special July issue of END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Artifact suppression and analysis of brain activities with EEG signals

2013-07-12

Electroencephalography is a test to measure the electrical activity of the brain generated by scalp surface after being picked up by metal electrodes and conductive media. Proper classification of electroencephalography data is the main task in electroencephalography based brain computer interface. Brain-computer interface is a communication system that connects the brain with computer (or other devices) but is not dependent on the normal output of the brain (i.e., peripheral nerve and muscle). Such interface transforms neural activities into signals to establish a new ...

Stress fracture risks may be modifiable

2013-07-12

CHICAGO, IL – Programs to improve movement patterns may help prevent stress fractures in athletes and military personnel, say researchers presenting their work today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. "Several potentially modifiable muscular and biomechanical factors may be playing a part in the increased rates of stress fractures in athletes and military personnel," said Kenneth L. Cameron, PhD, MPH, ATC, lead author and Director of Orthopaedic Research at Keller Army Hospital, West Point, NY. "It's possible that ...

Shoulder surgery may make sense for young patients

2013-07-12

Arthroscopic bankart repair surgery is a cost-effective approach for patients suffering their first shoulder dislocation, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. "We based our conclusions on a Markov model, which takes into account how surgery affects the patient's recovery in relation to the actual costs of medical treatment," commented Ryan P. Donegan, MD, MS, from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. "For surgery to be cost-effective in this model, expenses ...

Corticosteroid injections may help injured NFL players return to play sooner

2013-07-12

CHICAGO, IL – Corticosteroid injections may speed-up the return time for National Football League (NFL) players suffering high ankle sprains, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL. Players treated with these injections typically returned 40% faster or approximately 10 days earlier than those not receiving the same treatment. "After examining players with stable high ankle sprains over an eight-year period, we discovered those treated with corticosteroid injections returned to play ...

Range of motion may be a predictor for elbow injuries in Major League Baseball pitchers

2013-07-12

CHICAGO, IL – Certain elements of a pitcher's throwing mechanics can increase the risk for elbow injuries, according to information presented by researchers at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting today in Chicago, IL. The researchers examined 296 MLB pitchers throughout eight seasons from 2005-2012. Pitchers with a deficit of more than five degrees in total range of motion (TRM) in their dominant shoulder had a 2.3 times higher risk of injury, while pitchers with a deficit of five or more degrees in shoulder flexion of the dominant shoulder ...

Marital status reduces risk of death from HIV/AIDS for men

2013-07-12

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- At the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s men who were married were significantly less likely to die of HIV/AIDS than their divorced or otherwise single counterparts, according to a University of California, Riverside analysis of new mortality data for that era. For women, marital status had little impact on who was more likely to die of the disease. But race proved to be a significant risk factor, with African-American women nine times more likely to die of HIV/AIDS and Latinas seven times more likely to die of the disease than white women. ...

How to build your gate

2013-07-12

It's a parent's nightmare: opening a Lego set and being faced with 500 pieces, but no instructions on how to assemble them into the majestic castle shown on the box. Thanks to a new approach by scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, researchers studying large sets of molecules with vital roles inside our cells can now overcome a similar problem. In a study published online today in Science, the scientists used super-resolution microscopy to solve a decade-long debate about the structure of the nuclear pore complex, which controls ...

York Nanocentre researchers image individual atoms in a living catalytic reaction

2013-07-12

Groundbreaking new electron microscopy technology developed at the York JEOL Nanocentre at the University of York is allowing researchers to observe and analyse single atoms, small clusters and nanoparticles in dynamic in-situ experiments for the first time. The influential work being carried out at York is opening up striking new opportunities for observing and understanding the role of atoms in reactions in many areas of the physical sciences. It also has important implications for new medicines and new energy sources. So far, observing reacting atoms has been difficult. ...

Danish study shows most pesticides in foreign fruit and vegetables

2013-07-12

The National Food Institute has gathered the findings of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration's studies of pesticide residues in Danish food in the period 2004-2011. The calculations of the intake show that pesticide residues in foods on the Danish market do not constitute a health risk. Pesticide residues are found primarily in fruit and vegetables. In general, pesticide residues are more often found in fruit than in vegetables, and foreign fruit contains more pesticide residues than Danish fruit. The share of Danish fruit with a content of pesticides under ...

U of T-led study cracks universal RNA code, suggests a new cause for autism

2013-07-12

The discovery cracks the "RNA control code," which dictates how RNA — a family of molecules that mediates DNA expression — moves genetic information from DNA to create proteins. "For the first time, we understand the language of a code that is essential to gene processing," said Quaid Morris, a Professor in U of T's Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research. "Many human diseases are due to defects in this code, so figuring out what it means is crucial to creating new treatments for many conditions." The ...

New theory uncovers cancer's deep evolutionary roots

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: