DNA Mutations, Cancer, and Cell Divisions


Copyright 2017, James Michael Howard, Fayetteville, Arkansas, U.S.A.


I suggest initiation of cancers, caused by DNA mutations, as described by Tomasetti and Volgelstein, Science 2017: "Stem cell divisions, somatic mutations, cancer etiology, and cancer prevention," is caused by a mechanism that increases cell surface area of cells containing oncogenetic mutations.


This mechanism also causes the "Warburg Effect," that is, increased metabolism / increased glucose utilization of cancers. I suggest the basis of this effect is increased cell surface area caused by reduced support of cell adhesions because of low dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). ("Use Of DHEA By Cancer Explains The "Warburg Effect" ...Increased Cancer Metabolism (New Support of Cancer Explanation)," at: http://anthropogeny.com/warburg%20effect%20cancer.html .


Furthermore, it is my hypothesis that the human lifespan is determined by cell divisions controlled by DHEA, controlled by testosterone. This relates to these findings in this manner: It is known that cancer occurs more often in old age. DHEA naturally begins to decline around the age of 25, reaching very low levels in old age. Since availability of DHEA, I suggest, controls cell growth and development, i.e., cell divisions, loss of DHEA increases cancer initiation, as described in the material, above. Moreover, a number of known behaviors which increase cancer initiation can be demonstrated to increase testosterone and / or decrease DHEA, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, etc. Cancer occurs much more in humans compared to the Great Apes, who produce much less testosterone and much more DHEA than humans. (“Testosterone Controls Human and Great Ape Lifespans,” at: http://anthropogeny.com/Human%20Lifespan%20Testosterone.html )