Connecting cancer to its causes requires incorporation of effects on tissue microenvironments

In a recent paper in Science, Tomasetti et al. present an expanded model for cancer risk, which they claim demonstrates the relative contribution of mutations caused by replication errors, environment and heredity. The foundation of this model is the theory that the overwhelming driver of cancer risk is mutations. This perspective will present experimental evidence and evolutionary theory to challenge the basis of this underlying theory. An argument will be presented that the mutation-centric model of cancer suggests unrealistic solutions to cancer and distracts the research community from more promising approaches that consider tissue context.

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