Re:Our closest worm kin regrow body parts, raising hopes of ...
by PhasmaFelis on Tuesday November 29, 2016 @10:31PM
(#13068281)
> Interesting idea, but does the risk of cancer have that much selective pressure? It tends to be the "last thing that kills you", after you live long enough to survive everything else.
You're assuming that's the default state, rather than the result of millions of years of cancer-preventing trade-offs. If e.g. being able to regenerate lost limbs gives you a 10% chance of dying of out-of-control cancer before reaching breeding age, that trait is going to be selected out fairly rapidly.
You're assuming that's the default state, rather than the result of millions of years of cancer-preventing trade-offs. If e.g. being able to regenerate lost limbs gives you a 10% chance of dying of out-of-control cancer before reaching breeding age, that trait is going to be selected out fairly rapidly.