Abstract
Carcinogenesis is one of the leading health concerns afflicting
presumably every single animal species, including humans. Currently,
cancer research expands considerably beyond medicine, becoming a focus
in other branches of natural science. Accumulating evidence suggests
that a proportional scale of tumor deaths involves domestic and wild
animals and poses economical or conservation threats to many species.
Therefore, understanding the genetic and physiological mechanisms of
cancer initiation and its progression is essential for our future action
and contingent prevention. From this perspective, I used an
evolutionary-based approach to re-evaluate the baseline for debate
around Peto’s paradox. I discuss in detail an effect of body mass in
cancer research and the importance of cell size in consideration of body
architecture; and finally, I note the necessity of broader ecological
attempt in studies of carcinogenesis. The weak points and limitations of
theoretical modeling or indirect reasoning based on intraspecific,
comparative studies are highlighted. The novelty of the approach
proposed therein lies in intraspecies testing of the effect of
differentiation of cell size/number on the probability of carcinogenesis
while controlling for the confounding effect of body mass/size.