Is there a final common path in malignancies?

We found that malignant cells and tumors contain very little low molecular weight (MW) peptides and amino acids compared to normal cells and tissues. However, the low molecular weight (MW) peptides that inhibit mitosis, cell growth and cause differentiation were recovered from cell growth medium or ascites. We therefore hypothesize that out transport and, or diffusion of the low MW compounds is possibly central to carcinogenesis, since the controlling low MW signals are lost from the cell. Without inhibitors mitosis should not or would not stop.

Loss of low MW peptides and amino acids may be a common trait in carcinogenesis. It would entail that normal cell regulation such as growth, mitosis inhibition and differentiation would probably be lost, especially as we recover the missing compounds (chalones) from the incubation fluid or ascites. The chalones and deprimerones seem to induce differentiation of cells when inhibiting mitosis, and when lost from the cells may explain the de-differentiation typical of malignant cells. Such a mechanism would make room for membrane damaging mechanical, inflammatory and chemical as well as viral aetiologies in carcinogenesis. Faster than normal growth also increases the probability of geneic malfunction.