Abstract
Cancer is a disease of multicellular animals that arises from conflicting effects of natural selection acting at the cellular and individual levels. Over the long term, this conflict can be resolved in favor of individuals through the evolution of cancer suppression (e.g., by tumor suppressor genes) and/or policing (by the immune system) as a result of lineage selection. Our understanding of the role of immune policing in cancer prevention is reviewed in light of the recent surge of interest in immunotherapy; however, it is argued that cancer suppression is likely to be the major mechanism limiting cancer in nature. Predictions regarding the evolution of cancer suppression, derived from a simple model of multistage carcinogenesis, are discussed. These predictions combined with the success of a recent study of rodents suggest that comparative analyses of animal clades differing in size and longevity may provide important insight into novel mechanisms of cancer suppression.
Published Version
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