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Updated: Jul 20, 2026
09:52
A Mimic of the Tumor Microenvironment: A Simple Method for Generating Enriched Cell Populations and Investigating Intercellular Communication
Published on: September 20, 2016
Evolution of cooperation among tumor cells
Robert Axelrod1, David E Axelrod, Kenneth J Pienta
1Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and Department of Political Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Summary
Cancer cells may cooperate to survive, challenging traditional theories of tumor growth. This evolutionary game theory approach suggests that cooperating tumor cells can overcome host defenses, impacting cancer research and therapy.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Cancer research
- Game theory
Background:
- Traditional cancer theory posits independent evolution of cancer clones.
- Tumors are recognized as heterotypic, involving interactions between cancer and stromal cells.
- These interactions are often commensal, supporting tumor growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a novel theory of cancer cell cooperation using game theory.
- To investigate how tumor cells interact to determine Darwinian fitness.
- To explore the evolution of cooperation among genetically diverse tumor cells.
Main Methods:
- Applying game theory to model tumor cell interactions.
- Reviewing evidence for tumor cells overcoming host defenses via diffusible products.
- Developing a hypothesis for by-product mutualism in tumorigenesis.
Main Results:
- Tumor cells can overcome host defenses through cooperation and shared products.
- Cooperating cells may survive host defenses that would be lethal alone.
- Cooperation can evolve as by-product mutualism among diverse tumor cells.
Conclusions:
- Cooperation among tumor cells offers a new perspective on carcinogenesis.
- This hypothesis complements, rather than replaces, traditional clonal evolution models.
- Understanding cooperation has implications for experimental design and therapeutic strategies.
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