A simple mistake can have an extremely serious domino effect. Example with the process of cell division: cells which “make a mistake” when dividing (a key stage for the regeneration of the organism) could cause genetic mutations, themselves responsible for cancers. This worrying snowball effect, which amounts to considering “chance” or bad luck as a risk factor for cancer, is highlighted in a new study published in Science.
Two oncologists, Cristian Tomasetti and Bert Vogelstein, once again argue (they did it in 2015) that chance can play a big role in the development of cancer, even without a risk factor (tobacco, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, pollution, genetics, etc.). Their investigations, carried out in 69 countries, consisted of analyzing 32 types of cancer using epidemiological data on 4.8 billion people.
Cancer, a disease that can affect anyone
Their results show that two out of three genetic mutations responsible for cancer would have resulted from the creation “by mistake” of cancerous cells. 66% of mutations are therefore random, 29% due to the environment and 5% to heredity, according to the study taken up by AFP.
There is no doubt that this work should be controversial in the scientific community, since it suggests the possibility of an uncontrollable “lottery” in the development of cancer, and this despite a impeccable lifestyle.
Read also: Cancer: the disease that scares the French the most
Soon a blood test to detect cancers?
