I have a theory to a possible solution for cancer.

[jingsani]

So this is just a random train of thought that came along while I was just laying in bed, please correct me if I'm wrong about anything. Cancer is basically a mutation in our cells that causes rampant cell division to a point that it becomes dangerous enough to kill us, does this speed up the degradation of the genetic code required for cells to reproduce? On the opposite side of the spectrum is the cause of death from old age. The genetic code of our cells degrade to a point where cellular reproduction is not possible and causes the body to eventually fail.

My theory is this: what if the solution to cancer is not to destroy the cells, but to isolate the mutation and manipulate it in a manner that makes it beneficial to us, extending our lifespan. This whole theory rides on whether or not the genetic code is sustained by the cancer, or if it speeds up the degradation. If it is the latter, then destroying the cancer cells is truly the only option.

I'm just curious of whether or not this theory is even feasible.

[wiz1810]

There's a lot built on false assumptions here but one thing to note is cancer isn't a monolith, every tumor, every cancer cell is different and the result of many aberrations. Not sure what you mean by genetic code degradation but cancer cells are more proliferative than their tissues of origin by and large? Also aging, and the causes theirin is an entire field of study on its own, telomere maintenance is a big theory but immortal cells =/= long life. You need cell death to maintain and develop.  Long story short not feasible. 

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by wiz1810

[Crucial BBQ]

Research into how cancer may be a form of evaluation already exists.  

You will also be hard-pressed to find any human volunteers to say, 'yeah, lets keep this cancer going!'

Yes, I do think your point will eventually be the case.  That is to say we are likely to reach a point where mutating the mutations is the best treatment.  

[Immunogenic]

The mutation is just the first step but those mutations occur all the time and we don't all have cancer. We know how to cure cancer. Sure the mutations got the ball rolling, but it was the failure of your immune cells to detect it that caused the cancer. To cure cancer, you don't have to do anything to the cancer cell, you need to make the immune system recognize it and that's basis behind checkpoint inhibitors. They take an ongoing immune response and make it stronger. What we're doing now is trying to figure out how to initiate an immune response and what's funny is that often means keeping the cancer cells there until they're detecting by the proper immune cell and not something like a macrophage.