Paving Way for a Paradigm Shift in Oncology: Curing Cancer by Loving It?

Abstract

Plateaus in the efficacy of traditional methods for the treatment of cancer reached in the last decades call for the exploration of alternative models as their potential clinical complements. Here, the classical view of cancer as a tissue that is to be eradicated by methods describable by a compendium of militaristic metaphors is being challenged with a provocative idea: what if cancer can be cured with love condensed down to the level of molecular and cell biology? Correspondingly, the idea that love mimics the traits of the objects of its affection and helps them grow was translated to the level of cell biology by incorporating anti-apoptotic properties in healthy cells and promoting tumorigenesis in cancerous cells. Both the indirect and direct co-culture of the two cell types demonstrated hindered growth of cancer cells relative to that of their primary counterparts when these cellular modifications inspired by love for cancer were being implemented. The two experimental models reported here are emphasized as crude and simplistic methods derived from the idea that cancer may be best treated by being loved at the cellular and molecular biology levels. More comprehensive and effective methods may emanate from continued exploration and expansion of the intriguing and innovative avenue for cancer management proposed here.