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When Do Tumours Develop? Neoplastic Processes Across Different Timescales: Age, Season and Round the Circadian Clock
Margaux Bieuville1,2,3, Antoine M Dujon4, Nynke Raven4
1CREEC (CREES), Unité Mixte de Recherches IRD 224-CNRS 5290-Université de Montpellier Montpellier France.
Evolutionary Applications
|October 24, 2024
Summary
Cancer risk is not constant; it varies with age, season, and circadian rhythm due to complex biological processes. Understanding these variations is key for effective cancer prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Chronobiology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Multicellular organisms harbor neoplastic processes, but the timing of tumor onset and progression is poorly understood.
- Tumorigenesis probability likely varies across an organism's lifespan due to diverse underlying mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and summarize the known variations in neoplastic risk across different timescales: age, season, and circadian rhythm.
- To identify biological mechanisms and evolutionary influences shaping these temporal variations in cancer risk.
- To highlight the roles of immunity and metabolism in these variations and identify knowledge gaps.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing studies on age, seasonal, and circadian influences on cancer risk.
- Analysis of data from human and other animal species to identify patterns and mechanisms.
- Examination of evolutionary trade-offs and biological functions (immunity, metabolism) related to cancer risk variation.
Main Results:
- Neoplastic risk varies with age in complex, tissue- and age-specific ways, beyond simple mutation accumulation.
- Seasonal cycles can influence cancer risk, often linked to life-history events like reproduction.
- Circadian rhythms impact tumorigenesis across physiological, pathological, and therapeutic contexts.
Conclusions:
- Cancer risk is dynamic and influenced by age, season, and circadian rhythm, mediated by immunity and metabolism.
- Evolutionary processes likely play a role in regulating cancer risk over different timescales.
- Further research across diverse species is crucial for understanding temporal cancer vulnerability and improving prevention strategies.
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