Cancer robustness and therapy strategies

Author

Kitano, Hiroaki

Abstract

Cancer is robust, in the sense that many forms of the disease are resistant to therapeutic intervention and continue to proliferate. Understanding the fundamental principles of robustness is critical for developing novel and more effective therapies, such as better targeted drugs and improved methods of administration. Robustness is a fundamental and inherent property of complex evolved biological systems, optimized for certain functions and environments. No system, however, can maintain robustness against every possible perturbation. Systems which are robust against some perturbations have been shown to be extremely fragile in the face of others. Cancer is not an exception in this respect. Therefore, an enhanced understanding of cancer robustness and its limitations will assist in uncovering fragilities that off the potential of becoming novel targets for therapeutic interventions in cancer.