What allowed the human
species to evolve is the capability to adapt to the environment. How? Mutations
in our DNA allowed our predecessors to fit better the changing conditions, and
paved the way to a successful “species” story.
The same adaptability that established Homo sapiens as the “ruler of all species” also made cancer our most
dangerous enemy. Thus, an extreme evolution based upon mutations and epigenetic
changes is the core of cancer.
The deadly adaptability of cancer cells is evident when a patient is treated, and after a promising initial therapeutic response, the cancer re-grows and kills the patient. This happens frequently, and it is due to the great variety of cells within a single neoplasm, and the ability of the cancer cells to adapt to drug exposure or any other change in their environment via mutations and epigenetic changes.This suicidal “evolution” takes place even in the inception stage of cancer, when the neoplastic development is driven by few mutations in one or more abnormal cells. At the nascent stage of cancer, our lifestyle might be the most decisive factor for whether or not the neoplasm will continue to grow and become an invasive cancer. There is convincing evidence that the deleterious development into cancer is fueled by the “Western-type” of lifestyle. In addition to contributing to changes in the genome (e.g., epigenetic changes, etc.), the Western lifestyle creates a metabolic profile and microenvironment that are highly “accommodating” for abnormal cells with cancer-initiating mutations. Physical inactivity, obesity, highly-processed food diet, and stress, all of which describe the Western style of life, can collaborate with mutated cells in our bodies. The impact of these factors on cancer incidence also explains the changing landscape of cancers that will kill us in the near future. A recent study reveals the top four cancer killers of Americans in year 2030.
According to the projections of the researchers, lung cancer will remain the top cancer killer. However, the deaths from pancreatic or liver cancers will exceed these from breast, prostate, or colorectal cancers. The worse news is that lung, pancreatic, and liver cancer are “recalcitrant” since they have 5-year relative survival rates below 50%: pancreas (6%), lung (16.6%), and liver (18%).There is no doubt that the increase in liver and pancreatic cancer incidence today is related to the obesity epidemic in the U.S. For example, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (called also non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) is associated with obesity and is the major reason for the increase of liver cancer incidence in the developed countries, including the U.S. The majority of liver cancers are still associated with hepatitis, and the prevention of hepatitis B and C infections has significantly reduced the incidence of liver cancer. However, now obesity is reversing the trend, and by year 2030, we will witness record numbers of liver cancer.
The deadly adaptability of cancer cells is evident when a patient is treated, and after a promising initial therapeutic response, the cancer re-grows and kills the patient. This happens frequently, and it is due to the great variety of cells within a single neoplasm, and the ability of the cancer cells to adapt to drug exposure or any other change in their environment via mutations and epigenetic changes.This suicidal “evolution” takes place even in the inception stage of cancer, when the neoplastic development is driven by few mutations in one or more abnormal cells. At the nascent stage of cancer, our lifestyle might be the most decisive factor for whether or not the neoplasm will continue to grow and become an invasive cancer. There is convincing evidence that the deleterious development into cancer is fueled by the “Western-type” of lifestyle. In addition to contributing to changes in the genome (e.g., epigenetic changes, etc.), the Western lifestyle creates a metabolic profile and microenvironment that are highly “accommodating” for abnormal cells with cancer-initiating mutations. Physical inactivity, obesity, highly-processed food diet, and stress, all of which describe the Western style of life, can collaborate with mutated cells in our bodies. The impact of these factors on cancer incidence also explains the changing landscape of cancers that will kill us in the near future. A recent study reveals the top four cancer killers of Americans in year 2030.
According to the projections of the researchers, lung cancer will remain the top cancer killer. However, the deaths from pancreatic or liver cancers will exceed these from breast, prostate, or colorectal cancers. The worse news is that lung, pancreatic, and liver cancer are “recalcitrant” since they have 5-year relative survival rates below 50%: pancreas (6%), lung (16.6%), and liver (18%).There is no doubt that the increase in liver and pancreatic cancer incidence today is related to the obesity epidemic in the U.S. For example, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (called also non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) is associated with obesity and is the major reason for the increase of liver cancer incidence in the developed countries, including the U.S. The majority of liver cancers are still associated with hepatitis, and the prevention of hepatitis B and C infections has significantly reduced the incidence of liver cancer. However, now obesity is reversing the trend, and by year 2030, we will witness record numbers of liver cancer.
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