How do changes in the theory of cancer etiology impact the development of therapeutic strategies?
Résumé
The main theory of cancer etiology is genetic. However, this theory presents important downsides: no clear insights about how the disease begins and progresses, and the clinical successes are limited. Facing those shortcomings, some biologists have argued in favor of a change in the theory of carcinogenesis. The objective of this article is to analyze the consequences of changes in the theory of cancer etiology in the therapeutic field. Firstly, we
will analyze how the concept of tumor microenvironment (TME) allows for the formulation of at least two new theories of cancer etiology. In both theories,
genetic events are no longer regarded as the unique and primary cause of carcinogenesis. Secondly, we will analyze two examples of strategies based on
those hypotheses that include TME in cancer development and demonstrate that no longer considering the disease as the result of only genetic mutations modifies its causal explanation and the justification of new therapeutic strategies.
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