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Revista Cubana de Medicina Militar
On-line version ISSN 1561-3046
Abstract
PEREZ CALA, Armando Ernesto; BENITEZ SANCHEZ, Edgar and GARCIA MASSO, Dunia. Relationship between the human being evolutionary process and cancer predisposition. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 2018, vol.47, n.1, pp. 58-72. ISSN 1561-3046.
Cancer has become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many countries. In recent decades there has been a change in the conceptual paradigm of neoplastic diseases, which now focuses on the ecological-evolutionary perspective of these. With the aim of analyzing, with updated elements, the relationship between the evolutionary process of the human being and his predisposition to cancer, a systematic review of the literature was made, based on three databases, Medline, Scopus, and SciELO. Consistency attributes of the reviewed articles were taken into account, studies with levels IV and V of evidence and those of insufficient quality were excluded. The current accumulated searches suggest the need to see the various neoplasms from the perspective of the dynamics of complex systems and their evolutionary implications. The human evolutionary process has biosocial peculiarities that predispose it to suffer malignant tumors. Bipedal posture increased vulnerability to the oncogenic effect of ultraviolet radiation. Sexual behavior increased the risk of contracting oncogenic virus infections. The transition to a predominantly meat and the introduction of cooking, resulted in the incorporation of xenobiotic agents whose metabolism derives carcinogens. The postponement of human aging became in a longer time for the accumulation of mutations. Modifications in the sexual and reproductive pattern in women have influenced their predisposition to breast cancer. In the population genesis of cancer underlying biosocial foundations linked to the evolutionary process of the species.
Keywords : biological evolution; cultural evolution; carcinogenesis; oncogenic virus; carcinogens; aging of the population.