Optimal pathways control fixation of multiple mutations during cancer initiation.

ABSTRACT: Cancer starts after initially healthy tissue cells accumulate several specific mutations or other genetic alterations. The dynamics of tumor formation is a very complex phenomenon due to multiple involved biochemical and biophysical processes. It leads to a very large number of possible pathways on the road to final fixation of all mutations that marks the beginning of the cancer, complicating the understanding of microscopic mechanisms of tumor formation. We present a new theoretical framework of analyzing the cancer initiation dynamics by exploring the properties of effective free-energy landscape of the process. It is argued that although there are many possible pathways for the fixation of all mutations in the system, there are only a few dominating pathways on the road to tumor format

SUBMITTER: Teimouri H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9617135 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature