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Applying multilevel selection to understand cancer evolution and progression
Lucie Laplane1,2, Anaïs Lamoureux1, Harley I Richker3,4,5,6
1UMR8590, CNRS & University Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne, Paris, France.
Abstract:
Natural selection occurs at multiple levels of organization in cancer. At an organismal level, natural selection has led to the evolution of diverse tumor suppression mechanisms, while at a cellular level, it favors traits that promote cellular proliferation, survival and cancer. Natural selection also occurs at a subcellular level, among collections of cells and even among collections of organisms; selection at these levels could influence the evolution of cancer and cancer suppression mechanisms, affecting cancer risk and treatment strategies. There may also be cancer-like processes happening at different levels of organization, in which uncontrolled proliferation at lower levels may disrupt a higher level of organization. This Essay examines how selection operates across levels, highlighting how we might leverage this understanding to improve cancer research, prevention and treatment.
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