Cell functioning in norm and pathology in terms of the activity paradigm: oncogenesis

Medical Hypotheses. 2020. Vol. 144. P. 110240.

Venerin A. A., Venerina Y. A., Alexandrov Y.

Over the past years many theories of carcinogenesis have been developed. Nowadays, there are two prevalent
theories of carcinogenesis – two-hit hypothesis, which considers mutations as the main factor in malignization
and tissue hypothesis, which considers tissue homeostasis disruption for providing cells transformation. Both of
these theories explain cancer origin basing on principles of the reactivity paradigm. This paradigm emphasizes
role of different stimuli in malignization. However, this approach does not provide us with sufficient support in
progress towards either understanding of cancer origin or effective treatment strategies.
In contrast to the reactivity paradigm, we intend to explain oncogenesis within the activity paradigm. Upon
this approach, cells’ activity is goal-directed and is determined by a future event – the adaptive result. The
adaptive result is a proper interaction between the cell and its environment, which provides the cell with required
metabolites. To achieve this result cells have to cooperate with each other and synchronize their needs. If
cells fail to satisfy their metabolic ‘needs’ they have to reorganize their activity. This results in morpho-functional
restructuring of cells. Summing up, we consider carcinogenesis to be a part of goal-directed adaptive
activity of cells. Morphological and genetic atypia of cancer cells is a variant reorganization of cells’ activity.
Consequently, for better treatment, we should bring both transforming cells and their microenvironment to a
novel cooperation and reorganization of their activity.

Keywords: Goal-directed activity, Systemogenesis, Carcinogenesis