Domesticate Cancer?

Are you afraid of going to the jungle? Of course. There are lions, tigers, hyenas, wolves, elephants and millions of other animals that can prey on you for dinner. Are you afraid of going to the circus? No. In fact, children love the circus. Aside from the clown, there are tricks by wild animals- elephants walking on their hind legs, lions riding bicycles, monkeys displaying acrobatics and more.

Man evolved from being a hunter-gatherer to building communities. The major catalyst for this progression was the domestication of wild animals. Lions and tigers aren't practical examples, but we have domesticated useful animals like horses, bulls, goats, sheep, pigs and even carnivores like dogs. So then, it's possible to domesticate something wild and tame it so we can use it to our advantage.

Cancer. The word usually brings shivers down my spine. If it's localized, a surgeon can remove the tumor. However, when it spreads, it is like a hungry wild animal in search for prey. It attacks your body and uses your nutrients for its growth. That damn cancer cell!

But perhaps cancer research, although more complex, can benefit from the lessons of early man. Domesticate those wild things! Cancer cells have much in common with stem cells. They are undifferentiated and like stem cells they could be modified to develop according to our desires. They keep growing without restraint and that is what makes them wild. Suppression of apoptosis is key when tumor cells attack our body. And at times, we wish some of our cells didn't die or atrophy.

I am no genius. But I think there is much to learn from cancer cells and while they kill people now, they have the potential to help man make great discoveries. All man has to do, is tame them. Cancer cells aren't our enemies, but our angry pets that need some training. The answer lies in domestication. We have entered the jungles; It's time to put a leash on these cells!