Michael Hochberg
Research Director, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
University of Montepellier
Sante Fe Institute

How evolution and environment shape cancer

Evolutionary theory explains why metazoan species are largely protected against the negative fitness effects of cancers. Nevertheless, cancer is observed across a range of species and sometimes at high prevalence. I present a simple model showing how life history traits (e.g., body size) are expected to coevolve with anti-cancer mechanisms. The insights of this model form the basis for understanding cancer incidence and resistance mechanisms in different species and across different human tissues.