Stability-variability conflict as a reason for cancer: physical and socialaspects

We present an analysis of cancer based on the synthesis of physical and soc ial models of life as the stability-variability conflict (SVC). We showed t hat the intensity of the SVC increases with an increase in the rate of evol ution or progress of species and populations. The probability of oncogenesi s depends on this intensity and on the gray zone in the host's homeostasis. An organism and its cells are two interdependent systems which in extreme situations become antagonistic and competitive. The hierarchy of the biosys tems (cell, organism, population) does not resolve the SVC and does not dec rease the gray zone of this conflict. Cancer develops mainly due to externa l effects and results in some internal, including genomic, alterations whic h result in cell death (apoptosis), or cause cells to begin a new stage in their lives, possibly leading to tumors. In this respect, cancer is a rescu er of the cells, although it brings about the death of the host. An increas e in the production of tumor-associated proteins in cancer patients is an e xample of such changes. Cancer can also be analysed in terms of entropy and information. In the context of the SVC, cancer is irreversible deviations from the 'golden mean' solution. The golden mean and cancer deviation are c onsidered universal categories of physical and social reflections of the SV C as the quintessence of life. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.