Researchers have proposed a theory of cell cooperation, suggesting two or more mutant clones work together to enhance their growth and survival and make up malignant tissue. They intend to test the theory by identifying mutations in microscopic parts of human tumours and using new types of genetically engineered mice to see how often cancers arise from two or more clones.
A previous theory about cancer’s genesis stated that several mutations accumulate over a single lineage of cells, whose progenitor has all the mutations necessary to become cancerous. The international collaboration of researchers will use simulation models of cancer to explore how they behave and respond to therapies.
Read more at University of Sydney