Oh ok, I had heard this theory from a friend. Looks like I was misinformed. Rather than evolution causing cancer I think it is more accurate to say evolution doesn’t care if older individuals die off.
evolutionary investments in tumor suppression may have waned in older age.
Moreover, some processes which are important for organismal fitness in youth may actually contribute to tissue decline and increased cancer in old age, a concept known as antagonistic pleiotropy
So thanks for clearing that up. I understand cancer better now.
Oh ok, I had heard this theory from a friend. Looks like I was misinformed. Rather than evolution causing cancer I think it is more accurate to say evolution doesn’t care if older individuals die off.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3660034/
So thanks for clearing that up. I understand cancer better now.