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Applying multilevel selection to understand cancer evolution and progression.

Lucie Laplane·Anaïs Lamoureux·Harley I Richker·Gissel Marquez Alcaraz·Angelo Fortunato·Zachary Shaffer·Athena Aktipis·Paul S Mischel·Anya Plutynski·Jeffrey P Townsend·Carlo C Maley
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Abstract

Natural selection occurs at multiple levels of organization in cancer. At an organismal level, natural selection has led to the evolution of diverse tumor suppression mechanisms, while at a cellular level, it favors traits that promote cellular proliferation, survival and cancer. Natural selection also occurs at a subcellular level, among collections of cells and even among collections of organisms; selection at these levels could influence the evolution of cancer and cancer suppression mechanisms, affecting cancer risk and treatment strategies. There may also be cancer-like processes happening at different levels of organization, in which uncontrolled proliferation at lower levels may disrupt a higher level of organization. This Essay examines how selection operates across levels, highlighting how we might leverage this understanding to improve cancer research, prevention and treatment.

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AnimalsHumansBiological EvolutionCell ProliferationDisease ProgressionNeoplasmsSelection, GeneticJournal ArticleResearch Support, N.I.H., Extramural

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Lucie Laplane, Anaïs Lamoureux, Harley I Richker, Gissel Marquez Alcaraz, Angelo Fortunato, Zachary Shaffer, Athena Aktipis, Paul S Mischel, Anya Plutynski, Jeffrey P Townsend, Carlo C Maley. 2025-07-18. Applying multilevel selection to understand cancer evolution and progression.. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003290

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