Cancer: a reproductive strategy of "ultra-selfish" genes?
A hypothesis is presented in which the process of "malignant transformation" which ultimately results in the rapidly dividing tumor(s)(cells) causing "cancer", is regarded as an evolved reproductive strategy of "ultra-selfish" (proto-)(onco-) genes, already present in the genome, or introduced by a virus.
Schuiling
G A
GA
Faculty of Medical Sciences, A Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands. g.a.schuiling@med.rug.nl
D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*