Study examines evolution of cancer

ecancer - News

A novel Yale study answers age-old questions about how cancers spread by applying tools from evolutionary biology.
The new insights will help scientists better understand the genetic origins of tumour metastases, and lead to more effective targets for treatment, said the researchers.
The study, led by associate professor of public health (biostatistics) Jeffrey Townsend, was published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Scientists have long thought that cancer is an evolutionary process that involves cells acquiring mutations that replicate and persist over time, gaining an advantage over normal cells.
But questions remained about the timing and course of tumour progression.....