Aakancha Shaw, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
Isn’t cancer known to be a disease of the cell that is caused by the mutation of the genes that control proliferation and differentiation? Ever wondered what could be the physics of cancer?
Recent observations have shown that the microenvironment (immediate small-scale environment) surrounding the cancer cell has a major role in tumour initiation and progression. As tumours grow, they disrupt the structure of the nearby tissues via physical and biochemical mechanisms. Hence, physical abnormalities develop both in the cancer cells as well as the neighbouring cells.
Four distinct physical features of cancer were proposed considering the biomechanical abnormalities in tumours. These were:
- Elevated solid stress- created as proliferating and migrating cells push surrounding tissues.
- Elevated interstitial fluid pressure- Caused by leakage of plasma from the blood vessels of abnormally permeable tumour cells.
- Increased stiffness – caused by matrix deposition and remodelling.
- Altered tissue microarchitecture- caused due to the disruption by the cancer cells growth and invasion.
As these proposed physical traits have received less attention than their biological counterparts don’t mean they are insignificant. The role of physical microenvironment in tumour development, progression, and metastasis has gained popularity in recent years. Studies are being carried out to decipher the origin and consequences of the physical traits to develop more effective treatment strategies for cancer. The limited but promising studies highlight the need for more thorough investigations and research to understand the role of physical traits in a detailed manner
Also read:Social Isolation in Rats: It’s long term effects on Neuroplasticity
SOURCE:
Nia HT, Munn LL, Jain RK. Physical traits of cancer. Science. 2020 Oct 30; https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz0868
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