The following is a fascinating interview with Dr. Charley Lineweaver, who worked with Paul Davies on his work on cancer which we discuss. Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/clineweaver
Topics include:
- the evolutionary and atavistic theory of cancer
- the incorrectness of the somatic mutation theory of cancer
- a novel take on attacking the weakness of cancer
- how embryogenesis could be viewed as cells reverting to old memory
- the origins of multicellularity
- “Cancer cannot do anything new”
The atavistic theory of cancer states that cancer cells revert to an old memory they have from billions of years, but forget the new memory. The old memory pertains to constant cell proliferation, which happened as single-celled creatures, and in fact in embryogenesis as well. The new memory pertains to regulating cell proliferation and cells knowing when to stop cellular division. In cancer, it seems like cells forget this new memory and revert to the old memory.
This theory has many interesting explanations and predictions which we dive into in the conversation. Enjoy!
Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/clineweaver
Find me: https://x.com/aasthajs
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Background in astrobiology
1:53 Evolutionary theory of cancer
6:22 Atavistic model: Cancer cells go back to “original state”
9:50 Atavistic theory vs. Cancer
14:44 Somatic Mutation Theory of Cancer is Wrong
22:36 Disagreement with Mike Levin’s work
24:17 Attack the weakness of cancer
27:45 Vaccine for cancer
38:08 Wound healing and cancer
41:23 Why new genes are more susceptible to damage
45:26 Origins of multicellularity
48:49 Predictions of Atavistic model
53:45 Cancer cells spread
56:52 Cell proliferation, Cancer, Hayflick limit
58:54 Doctors are not trained in evolution
AASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:
Twitter: https://x.com/aasthajs
Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/
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DR. CHARLEY LINEWEAVER:
Website: https://researchers.anu.edu.au/researchers/lineweaver-ch
Papers referenced:
- Cancer progression as a series of atavistic reversions: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8860064/
- Targeting cancer's weaknesses, not its strengths: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4282648/
