Evolutionary Biology of Cancer: Tumour Heterogeneity and Treatment Options

The article discusses both the punctuated equilibrium and gradualism models for clonal evolution in cancer.

The punctuated equilibrium model is considered a more accurate representation of cancer growth according to the article.

Cancer treatment options usually become more specific to clones that have undergone a selective sweep.

Clone-specific treatments may be ineffective if there are sub-clones lacking the mutant target.

Tumor heterogeneity is not an important factor to consider when looking at treatment options for cancer.

According to the article, cancer cells evolve solely through the gradualism model.

According to Nowell, there are six steps in the model of clonal evolution.

If a mutation is a driver mutation, it will lead to clonal expansion.

Most of the sub-clones formed due to genomic instability will survive in the tumour environment.

The dominant sub-clone in a tumour can be replaced when a newly generated sub-clone outcompetes it.

In the clonal evolution model, a selective sweep occurs when a sub-clone fails to survive due to metabolic disadvantage.

Punctuated equilibrium model is one of the five steps proposed by Nowell in the clonal evolution model.

Tumour heterogeneity does not play a role in conferring evolutionary advantages or disadvantages.

The Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis and the Clonal Evolution Model are completely unrelated concepts.

The gradualism model suggests that evolution occurs in rapid, abrupt changes.

Tumour heterogeneity refers to the presence of only one type of cell in a tumor.

The punctuated equilibrium model proposes that evolution happens gradually over long periods of time.

Cancer growth is a simple and uniform process without any complexities.