Cancer cells can be described as an invasive species that is able to
establish itself in a new environment. The concept of niche construction can be
utilized to describe the process by which cancer cells terraform their
environment, thereby engineering an ecosystem that promotes the genetic fitness
of the species. Ecological dispersion theory can then be utilized to describe
and model the steps and barriers involved in a successful diaspora as the
cancer cells leave the original host organ and migrate to new host organs to
successfully establish a new metastatic community. These ecological concepts
can be further utilized to define new diagnostic and therapeutic areas for
lethal cancers.Comment: 8 pages, 1 Table, 4 Figure
