Nasopharyngeal carcinoma ecology theory: cancer as multidimensional spatiotemporal “unity of ecology and evolution” pathological ecosystem

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a particular entity of head neck cancer that is generally regarded as a genetic disease with diverse intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity. This perspective review mainly outlines the up-to-date knowledge of cancer ecology and NPC progression, and presents a number of conceptual stepping-stones. At the beginning, I explicitly advocate that the nature of NPC (cancer) is not a genetic disease but an ecological disease: a multidimensional spatiotemporal "unity of ecology and evolution" pathological ecosystem. The hallmarks of cancer is proposed to act as ecological factors of population fitness. Subsequently, NPC cells are described as invasive species and its metastasis as a multidirectional ecological dispersal. The foundational ecological principles include intraspecific relationship (e.g. communication) and interspecific relationship (e.g. competition, predation, parasitism and mutualism) are interpreted to understand NPC progression. "Mulberry-fish-ponds" model can well illustrate the dynamic reciprocity of cancer ecosystem. Tumor-host interface is the ecological transition zone of cancer, and tumor buddings should be recognized as ecological islands separated from the mainland. It should be noted that tumor-host interface has a significantly molecular and functional edge effect because of its curvature and irregularity. Selection driving factors and ecological therapy including hyperthermia for NPC patients, and future perspectives in such field as "ecological pathology", "multidimensional tumoriecology" are also discussed. I advance that "nothing in cancer evolution or ecology makes sense except in the light of the other". The cancer ecology tree is constructed to comprehensively point out the future research direction. Taken together, the establishment of NPC ecology theory and cancer ecology tree might provide a novel conceptual framework and paradigm for our understanding of cancer complex causal process and potential preventive and therapeutic applications for patients.

Inflammation, Infiltration, and Evasion—Tumor Promotion in the Aging Breast

“…Additionally, the potential role of the microbiome in cancer development and progression is an emerging field of research, leading to investigations into microbiome-based interventions for cancer prevention and treatment. Additionally, it is important to note that the tumor cells and their microenvironment, which include the immune system, co-evolve as the tumor progresses and responds to therapy [ 133 ].…”

Circulating Tumor DNA in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…A notable HNSCC subtype beyond the HPV dichotomization is nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). NPC is often associated with EBV infection and is endemic to Southeast Asia and North Africa [ 34 , 35 ]. NPCs show high frequencies of copy number gains at 1q, 3q, 8q 12p and 12q or deletions in 1p, 3p, 9p, 9q, 11q, 14q and 16q [ 34 , 36 ].…”

N-Cadherin Expression with Metastasis of Neck Lymph Nodes in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

“…This raises a new view that NPC is not only a genetic disease but also a disease with a complex pathology involving the primary, circulating, metastases, and multidirectional ecosystem. 4 The challenge of NPC therapy in the form of recurrence and metastases is an indicator of poor prognosis, because it is the primary cause of mortality for NPC sufferers. 4 Yet, the successful prognosis of NPC therapy is based on anatomic aspects, which include tumor node metastases (TNM).…”

“…4 The challenge of NPC therapy in the form of recurrence and metastases is an indicator of poor prognosis, because it is the primary cause of mortality for NPC sufferers. 4 Yet, the successful prognosis of NPC therapy is based on anatomic aspects, which include tumor node metastases (TNM). 5 NPC patients usually have different biologic characteristics and therapeutic results, although at the same TNM stage.…”

“…It can maintain cell homeostasis through the formation of cadherin-catenin complexes. 6 Based on their distribution in tissues, the classic family of cadherins is divided into [1] E-cadherin was located in epithelial tissue; [2] N-cadherin in nerve tissue, muscle and fibroblasts; [3] P-cadherin was found in the placenta; [4] R-cadherin was found in the retina; and [5] M-cadherin in muscles. 7 N-cadherin consists of five intracellular domains.…”