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I think evolution plays a part in why older people are more prone. A debilitating illness in your teens is likely to stop you reproducing and is more likely to
by 7952 5y ago
I think evolution plays a part in why older people are more prone. A debilitating illness in your teens is likely to stop you reproducing and is more likely to vanish. But a genetic trait for cancer later in life can get past on.
- adolph 5y agoThere must be some evolutionary fitting function that mutations serve that have prevented them from being selected out.
- HarryHirsch 5y agoAmongst the ""hallmarks of cancer" (there's a pair of papers with that title) is tissue invasion, angiogenesis and immunosuppression - and there are genes for that because the placenta needs those so the fetus can survive and reach term. What I'd really like to know is incidence of cancer in marsupials, birds and fishes, one would predict it to be markedly lower.
- yuliyp 5y agoThe rate of mutation is significantly lower in humans than in say viruses. Being able to adapt eventually to changing circumstances is valuable.
- pfdietz 5y agoAnd in very large animals there are adaptations that keep cancer in check, even though they have many more cells. IIRC, elephants have many copies of genes that induce suicide in aberrant cells.
- mcguire 5y agoNot entirely on point here, but you should look at that the other way around: mutations are retained unless they cause adverse consequences that result in them being selected out.
- siggen 5y agoMedawar effect