|
The Evolutionary Theory of
Sex:
The
Evolutionary Role of Cancer
Cancer is considered as
one of the mechanisms of natural selection, eliminating
individuals of a population according to their biological
value — sex, age and information role. Certainly, natural
selection uses all illnesses, but cancer is a tool specially
created for it. It precisely discharges children with birth
defects, as well as mature individuals not serving the tasks
of their age group.
The concept can explain
many features of cancer: its antiquity, generality, and
close relation with sex (Male > Female) and age (increases).
It can explain why children have high frequency of cancer of
relatively young connective tissue (blood and bones in
particular) while adults — cancer of more ancient epithelial
tissue which
lines both the
outside (skin) and the inside cavities.
It can also explain why the same type of cancer can be
caused by different reasons and, on the contrary, that one
factor can cause different forms of cancer.
Cancer
and age
Cancer may affect people at all ages,
even fetuses, but risk for the more common varieties tends
to increase with age.[1]
There exists a specific regulation of the age groups having
different biological value: children> reproductive age> an
active old age> a passive old age.
A cancer at children
Spectrum of
children cancer considerably differs from that of adults.
Adults have about 90 % of epithelial tissue cancers, while
children — only 0.8-2 %. The cancer of children is often
combined with various developmental anomalies, therefore it
is possible to consider, that it prevents anomalies of
growth and development from spreading. Thus, Wilms' tumor
(kidneys) happens at developmental anomalies of urinary
system, lymphomas — at hereditary agammaglobulinemia, a
cancer of bones at anomalies of osteogenesis, leukosis — at
Down syndrome.
Reproductive age
The main mission of reproductive age is to leave
offspring. Therefore the
cancer of reproductive age should eliminate those who do not
fulfill its purpose. Therefore, the long periods of
abstention and refusal of breastfeeding should raise risk of
a cancer. According to new general concept of sex hormones
the surplus of the hormones has “cancerogenic” action, while
hormones of an opposite sex act as “anticancerogens”. This
view provides explanation why testosterone (poison for
spermatozoids) is present in sperm.
Postreproductive age
The main mission of postreproductive age is to transfer
the cultural information to the descendants. Regulation in
this age group can also be carried out through a cancer,
instead of other illness. It’s well known that active
lifestyle prevents many diseases, including cancer. In
special studies, rats infected by an experimental cancer
were divided into two groups. One of them twisted the
squirrel wheel and has remained alive, while the control
group, without physical activity, perished.
Treatment of cancer
Taking
“fractional” sex into consideration will allow more
efficient administration of hormonal therapy.
◄ Sexual Dimorphism in
Pathology ◄
Hormonal Sex
◄
Application of
“Teratological rule of sexual dimorphism” to the congenital
anomalies of the heart
References:
Эволюционная роль рака. Негэнтропийная концепция.
Геодакян
В.А. Материалы Международной Конференции "Генетика в России
и мире" посвященной 40 летию Института общей генетики им. Н.
И. Вавилова РАН 28 июня – 2 июля 2006 г. Москва Стр. 45
(242). [The
Evolutionary Role of Cancer]
[1] Cancer Research UK
(January 2007).
UK cancer incidence statistics by age
[2]
Раевский П. М.,
Шерман А. Л. Значение пола в эпидемиологии злокачественных
опухолей (системно-эволюционный
подход). В
сб.: Математическая обработка медико-бнологической
информации. М., Наука, 1976, с. 170–181
|