Darwin was wrong and the fittest mutations may fail when it comes to tumour cells, Chinese scientists say
Team makes bold claim that diverse range of mutations in cancer cells compete among themselves rather than produce dominant winners that can be eradicated as a means of tackling the disease.
Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection does not work at a cellular level, a finding that could profoundly influence the battle to find a cure for cancer, according to joint study by a team of researchers from the University of Chicago and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The results were published in a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Darwin made a compelling argument for how only the fittest survive and thrive, and this was long believed to be the case with cancerous cells in the human body.
Many in the scientific community thought that stronger, mutant cells breed at an out-of-control rate - much like pesky rabbits in the Australian outback - because they are more able to adapt to their environment, resulting in tumours.
This led to the widespread belief that the key to treating cancer lies in targeting and eliminating these “super cells” using drugs or other methods.
But this may prove far from the mark.