{"id":30811,"date":"2026-05-06T12:49:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T10:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sano.science\/?p=30811"},"modified":"2026-05-18T11:30:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T09:30:44","slug":"dominik-czaplicki-on-why-we-still-have-not-beaten-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sano.science\/dominik-czaplicki-on-why-we-still-have-not-beaten-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Dominik Czaplicki on why we still have not beaten cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-fourth-episode-of-the-twin-things-podcast\">Fourth episode of the Twin Things Podcast<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">In the fourth episode of the Twin Things Podcast(&#8216;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=r6vcKIOLmdo&amp;list=PLsnXM_b25RKxgOC3wwbhpKoK-u0TWQHhv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Dlaczego wci\u0105\u017c nie wygrali\u015bmy z rakiem?<\/a>&#8216;),<a href=\"https:\/\/sano.science\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Dominik-Czaplicki.jpg\" type=\"attachment\" id=\"16890\"> Dominik Czaplicki <\/a>takes listeners on an intellectual journey through the world of modern oncology \u2013 from cell biology and tumour evolution to thermodynamics, immunotherapy, and computational medicine. The guest and the host, both affiliated with the Sano Centre for Computational Medicine, explore a fundamental question: why, despite decades of research and tremendous technological progress, do cancers remain one of the most difficult groups of diseases to manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-a-natural-consequence-of-multicellular-life\">Cancer as a natural consequence of multicellular life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The conversation begins with the claim that cancer is not a mere \u201cerror\u201d but an almost inevitable consequence of multicellular life. Every human being is made up of trillions of cells that must constantly cooperate and follow shared rules \u2013 yet it takes only one cell to \u201crebel\u201d and start acting purely in its own interest to trigger a cancerous process. In this sense, cancer arises from the tension between the autonomy of a single cell and the well-being of the organism as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-a-history-of-changing-ideas-about-cancer\">A history of changing ideas about cancer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The podcast offers a broad historical perspective on how our understanding of cancer has evolved. In the past, people tried to explain cancers through humoral theory, temperament, or personality traits, which now sounds archaic but illustrates the human need for simple explanations. In the nineteenth century, cancer began to be seen as a disease of the cell, and the twentieth century \u2013 following the discovery of DNA \u2013 brought the somatic mutation theory, which held that cells accumulate genetic alterations that gradually lead to a loss of control over cell division. Although this was a breakthrough, genetics alone turned out to be insufficient \u2013 cancers are far more complex than a simple \u201cset of mutations\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-an-ecosystem\">Cancer as an ecosystem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">One of the key themes of the discussion is the modern view of cancer as a complex ecosystem. A tumour is not just a cluster of abnormal cells but an actively organised tissue that recruits blood vessels, reprogrammes immune cells, and builds its own microenvironment that supports growth. Cancer cells can \u201cpersuade\u201d healthy cells to work on their behalf \u2013 for example, by inducing angiogenesis, the formation of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients, and by weakening the local immune response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-accelerated-evolution\">Cancer as accelerated evolution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The speakers repeatedly emphasise that tumour development can be understood as evolution happening at an accelerated pace within a single body. Mutations generate diversity, while the organism\u2019s environment \u2013 such as low oxygen, limited nutrients, and attacks from the immune system \u2013 selects those cell variants that cope best with constraints. As a result, increasingly aggressive clones emerge that can metastasise, meaning they colonise new parts of the body, making cancer an example of Darwinian selection operating inside one person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-thermodynamics-and-the-bifurcation-point\">Thermodynamics and the bifurcation point<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">An original aspect of the conversation is the use of concepts from thermodynamics and nonlinear systems theory to describe how cancers arise. A cell usually maintains a dynamic equilibrium with its surroundings, but under prolonged stress, such as chronic inflammation, radiation, or accumulated DNA damage, it can reach a critical threshold \u2013 a so\u2011called bifurcation point. At that moment, it has two possible fates: death or a transition to a higher level of organisation, in which it becomes part of a new, self\u2011sustaining system \u2013 the cancerous tissue. This process is compared to a spinning top that remains stable for a long time but, once a certain threshold is crossed, suddenly loses balance and falls over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-immunotherapy-harnessing-the-body-s-natural-defences\">Immunotherapy \u2013 harnessing the body\u2019s natural defences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">A substantial part of the episode is devoted to immunotherapy, i.e. treatments that harness the immune system. Cancer cells are hard to detect because they arise from the body\u2019s own tissues and do not generate a strong danger signal, but modern therapies can artificially amplify that signal. Some approaches \u201chighlight\u201d cancer cells for the immune system, while others modify immune cells outside the body so that, once infused back into the patient, they can more effectively attack the tumour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\">Bacteria as a therapeutic tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\" class=\" eplus-wrapper\">An especially intriguing thread is the idea of using bacteria, particularly Salmonella, to treat cancers. These bacteria prefer low\u2011oxygen environments typical of tumours and at the same time trigger a strong alarm signal for the immune system. This means they can help \u201cguide\u201d immune responses towards the tumour, and they can also serve as carriers for anti\u2011cancer drugs; in preclinical studies, particularly promising results have been seen in melanoma. Computational models help predict how such therapies will behave in the body before they move into clinical trials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-the-diversity-of-cancers-and-the-ndividuality-of-patients\">The diversity of cancers and the ndividuality of patients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\" class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The conversation strongly reinforces the message that \u201ccancer\u201d is not one disease but a vast group of biologically distinct conditions. Even tumours that share the same name can behave in dramatically different ways \u2013 for example, neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, can regress spontaneously in some patients while being highly aggressive in others. This underlines the need for personalised treatment strategies and an individual approach to each patient and their tumour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-a-chronic-disease-and-the-role-of-computational-medicine\">Cancer as a chronic disease and the role of computational medicine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">In the final part of the discussion, the speakers reflect on the fact that cancers can increasingly be approached not as an inevitably fatal condition but as long-term conditions that can be managed over time. In many situations, the goal of medicine will not be to eradicate every last cancer cell but to keep the disease under durable control, monitor relapses, and maintain a high quality of life for patients. The speakers highlight the importance of a systemic approach that brings together biology, physics, mathematics, computer science, and medicine \u2013 precisely the space in which Sano Centre for Computational Medicine operates, developing digital \u201ctwins\u201d of patients and therapies, as well as computational models that simulate disease progression and help optimise treatment. In this way, the future of oncology becomes increasingly intertwined with computational medicine and the use of artificial intelligence to understand processes that once seemed too complex to grasp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns eplus-wrapper is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex eplus-styles-uid-e11b07\"><div class=\"wp-block-column eplus-wrapper is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow eplus-styles-uid-dcccf9\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-twin-things-podcast-anywhere\">Twin Things podcast Anywhere<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-listen-to-every-episode-wherever-you-are\">Listen to Every Episode, Wherever You Are<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/podcast\/id1896467901\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/podcast\/id1896467901\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Apple Podcasts<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/033cCZGXblNZLf3l7JYNag?si=7e32087fcf964a00\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"> Spotify<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deezer.com\/pl\/show\/1003040051\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">YouTube Deezer<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":"\u201eWhy Haven\u2019t We Beaten Cancer Yet?\u201d  - fourth episode of the Twin Things Podcast","author":8,"featured_media":30815,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"editor_plus_post_options":"{}","editor_plus_copied_stylings":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Dominik Czaplicki on why we still have not beaten cancer - Centre for Computational Personalized Medicine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fourth episode of Twin Things Podcast: Dominik Czaplicki on why we haven\u2019t beaten cancer yet and how computational medicine is reshaping oncology\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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Czaplicki on why we still have not beaten cancer"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sano.science\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sano.science\/","name":"Centre for Computational Personalized Medicine","description":"Sano \u2013 Centre for Computational Medicine","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/sano.science\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sano.science\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/sano.science\/#organization","name":"Sano \u2013 Centre for Computational 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Medicine"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sano.science\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sano.science\/","https:\/\/x.com\/sanoscience","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/sanoscience\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCDZ_8TcjMWUG2ZcgKKgfpwQ","https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/sanoscience.bsky.social"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sano.science\/#\/schema\/person\/561b69b48b6a8f7904aed06df5d03c98","name":"Sano","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3349c3947cb21b81e9745a6442fe4ec43961bb077198eb416cbdc66ec45ea97c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3349c3947cb21b81e9745a6442fe4ec43961bb077198eb416cbdc66ec45ea97c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3349c3947cb21b81e9745a6442fe4ec43961bb077198eb416cbdc66ec45ea97c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Sano"},"url":"https:\/\/sano.science\/author\/s15to\/"}]}},"acf":[],"gutenberg_blocks":[{"blockName":"custom-styles","attrs":{"styles":".eplus-styles-uid-dcccf9{padding-top:4%;padding-right:4%;padding-bottom:4%;padding-left:4%}.eplus-styles-uid-e11b07{background-image:linear-gradient(rgba(250,209,103,1),rgba(250,209,103,1))}"}},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-fhTz94","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-fourth-episode-of-the-twin-things-podcast\">Fourth episode of the Twin Things Podcast<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-fourth-episode-of-the-twin-things-podcast\">Fourth episode of the Twin Things Podcast<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-siM2KQ","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">In the fourth episode of the Twin Things Podcast('<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=r6vcKIOLmdo&amp;list=PLsnXM_b25RKxgOC3wwbhpKoK-u0TWQHhv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Dlaczego wci\u0105\u017c nie wygrali\u015bmy z rakiem?<\/a>'),<a href=\"https:\/\/sano.science\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Dominik-Czaplicki.jpg\" type=\"attachment\" id=\"16890\"> Dominik Czaplicki <\/a>takes listeners on an intellectual journey through the world of modern oncology \u2013 from cell biology and tumour evolution to thermodynamics, immunotherapy, and computational medicine. The guest and the host, both affiliated with the Sano Centre for Computational Medicine, explore a fundamental question: why, despite decades of research and tremendous technological progress, do cancers remain one of the most difficult groups of diseases to manage.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">In the fourth episode of the Twin Things Podcast('<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=r6vcKIOLmdo&amp;list=PLsnXM_b25RKxgOC3wwbhpKoK-u0TWQHhv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Dlaczego wci\u0105\u017c nie wygrali\u015bmy z rakiem?<\/a>'),<a href=\"https:\/\/sano.science\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Dominik-Czaplicki.jpg\" type=\"attachment\" id=\"16890\"> Dominik Czaplicki <\/a>takes listeners on an intellectual journey through the world of modern oncology \u2013 from cell biology and tumour evolution to thermodynamics, immunotherapy, and computational medicine. The guest and the host, both affiliated with the Sano Centre for Computational Medicine, explore a fundamental question: why, despite decades of research and tremendous technological progress, do cancers remain one of the most difficult groups of diseases to manage.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-9V9rJT","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-t2BaB0","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-a-natural-consequence-of-multicellular-life\">Cancer as a natural consequence of multicellular life<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-a-natural-consequence-of-multicellular-life\">Cancer as a natural consequence of multicellular life<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-siM2KQ","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The conversation begins with the claim that cancer is not a mere \u201cerror\u201d but an almost inevitable consequence of multicellular life. Every human being is made up of trillions of cells that must constantly cooperate and follow shared rules \u2013 yet it takes only one cell to \u201crebel\u201d and start acting purely in its own interest to trigger a cancerous process. In this sense, cancer arises from the tension between the autonomy of a single cell and the well-being of the organism as a whole.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The conversation begins with the claim that cancer is not a mere \u201cerror\u201d but an almost inevitable consequence of multicellular life. Every human being is made up of trillions of cells that must constantly cooperate and follow shared rules \u2013 yet it takes only one cell to \u201crebel\u201d and start acting purely in its own interest to trigger a cancerous process. In this sense, cancer arises from the tension between the autonomy of a single cell and the well-being of the organism as a whole.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-ya0KpY","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-dIqxHX","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-a-history-of-changing-ideas-about-cancer\">A history of changing ideas about cancer<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-a-history-of-changing-ideas-about-cancer\">A history of changing ideas about cancer<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-siM2KQ","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The podcast offers a broad historical perspective on how our understanding of cancer has evolved. In the past, people tried to explain cancers through humoral theory, temperament, or personality traits, which now sounds archaic but illustrates the human need for simple explanations. In the nineteenth century, cancer began to be seen as a disease of the cell, and the twentieth century \u2013 following the discovery of DNA \u2013 brought the somatic mutation theory, which held that cells accumulate genetic alterations that gradually lead to a loss of control over cell division. Although this was a breakthrough, genetics alone turned out to be insufficient \u2013 cancers are far more complex than a simple \u201cset of mutations\u201d.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The podcast offers a broad historical perspective on how our understanding of cancer has evolved. In the past, people tried to explain cancers through humoral theory, temperament, or personality traits, which now sounds archaic but illustrates the human need for simple explanations. In the nineteenth century, cancer began to be seen as a disease of the cell, and the twentieth century \u2013 following the discovery of DNA \u2013 brought the somatic mutation theory, which held that cells accumulate genetic alterations that gradually lead to a loss of control over cell division. Although this was a breakthrough, genetics alone turned out to be insufficient \u2013 cancers are far more complex than a simple \u201cset of mutations\u201d.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-BmJK0p","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-GkeGzO","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-an-ecosystem\">Cancer as an ecosystem<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-an-ecosystem\">Cancer as an ecosystem<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-siM2KQ","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">One of the key themes of the discussion is the modern view of cancer as a complex ecosystem. A tumour is not just a cluster of abnormal cells but an actively organised tissue that recruits blood vessels, reprogrammes immune cells, and builds its own microenvironment that supports growth. Cancer cells can \u201cpersuade\u201d healthy cells to work on their behalf \u2013 for example, by inducing angiogenesis, the formation of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients, and by weakening the local immune response.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">One of the key themes of the discussion is the modern view of cancer as a complex ecosystem. A tumour is not just a cluster of abnormal cells but an actively organised tissue that recruits blood vessels, reprogrammes immune cells, and builds its own microenvironment that supports growth. Cancer cells can \u201cpersuade\u201d healthy cells to work on their behalf \u2013 for example, by inducing angiogenesis, the formation of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients, and by weakening the local immune response.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-wHEGAP","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-eXjPrF","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-accelerated-evolution\">Cancer as accelerated evolution<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-accelerated-evolution\">Cancer as accelerated evolution<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-siM2KQ","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The speakers repeatedly emphasise that tumour development can be understood as evolution happening at an accelerated pace within a single body. Mutations generate diversity, while the organism\u2019s environment \u2013 such as low oxygen, limited nutrients, and attacks from the immune system \u2013 selects those cell variants that cope best with constraints. As a result, increasingly aggressive clones emerge that can metastasise, meaning they colonise new parts of the body, making cancer an example of Darwinian selection operating inside one person.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The speakers repeatedly emphasise that tumour development can be understood as evolution happening at an accelerated pace within a single body. Mutations generate diversity, while the organism\u2019s environment \u2013 such as low oxygen, limited nutrients, and attacks from the immune system \u2013 selects those cell variants that cope best with constraints. As a result, increasingly aggressive clones emerge that can metastasise, meaning they colonise new parts of the body, making cancer an example of Darwinian selection operating inside one person.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-TUg7H9","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-4qHnsc","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-thermodynamics-and-the-bifurcation-point\">Thermodynamics and the bifurcation point<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-thermodynamics-and-the-bifurcation-point\">Thermodynamics and the bifurcation point<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-siM2KQ","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">An original aspect of the conversation is the use of concepts from thermodynamics and nonlinear systems theory to describe how cancers arise. A cell usually maintains a dynamic equilibrium with its surroundings, but under prolonged stress, such as chronic inflammation, radiation, or accumulated DNA damage, it can reach a critical threshold \u2013 a so\u2011called bifurcation point. At that moment, it has two possible fates: death or a transition to a higher level of organisation, in which it becomes part of a new, self\u2011sustaining system \u2013 the cancerous tissue. This process is compared to a spinning top that remains stable for a long time but, once a certain threshold is crossed, suddenly loses balance and falls over.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">An original aspect of the conversation is the use of concepts from thermodynamics and nonlinear systems theory to describe how cancers arise. A cell usually maintains a dynamic equilibrium with its surroundings, but under prolonged stress, such as chronic inflammation, radiation, or accumulated DNA damage, it can reach a critical threshold \u2013 a so\u2011called bifurcation point. At that moment, it has two possible fates: death or a transition to a higher level of organisation, in which it becomes part of a new, self\u2011sustaining system \u2013 the cancerous tissue. This process is compared to a spinning top that remains stable for a long time but, once a certain threshold is crossed, suddenly loses balance and falls over.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-bBCgir","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-cGKtIo","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-immunotherapy-harnessing-the-body-s-natural-defences\">Immunotherapy \u2013 harnessing the body\u2019s natural defences<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-immunotherapy-harnessing-the-body-s-natural-defences\">Immunotherapy \u2013 harnessing the body\u2019s natural defences<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-siM2KQ","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">A substantial part of the episode is devoted to immunotherapy, i.e. treatments that harness the immune system. Cancer cells are hard to detect because they arise from the body\u2019s own tissues and do not generate a strong danger signal, but modern therapies can artificially amplify that signal. Some approaches \u201chighlight\u201d cancer cells for the immune system, while others modify immune cells outside the body so that, once infused back into the patient, they can more effectively attack the tumour.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">A substantial part of the episode is devoted to immunotherapy, i.e. treatments that harness the immune system. Cancer cells are hard to detect because they arise from the body\u2019s own tissues and do not generate a strong danger signal, but modern therapies can artificially amplify that signal. Some approaches \u201chighlight\u201d cancer cells for the immune system, while others modify immune cells outside the body so that, once infused back into the patient, they can more effectively attack the tumour.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-koP4Eq","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-5zptJs","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\">Bacteria as a therapeutic tool<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\">Bacteria as a therapeutic tool<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-84u0nu","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\" class=\" eplus-wrapper\">An especially intriguing thread is the idea of using bacteria, particularly Salmonella, to treat cancers. These bacteria prefer low\u2011oxygen environments typical of tumours and at the same time trigger a strong alarm signal for the immune system. This means they can help \u201cguide\u201d immune responses towards the tumour, and they can also serve as carriers for anti\u2011cancer drugs; in preclinical studies, particularly promising results have been seen in melanoma. Computational models help predict how such therapies will behave in the body before they move into clinical trials.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\" class=\" eplus-wrapper\">An especially intriguing thread is the idea of using bacteria, particularly Salmonella, to treat cancers. These bacteria prefer low\u2011oxygen environments typical of tumours and at the same time trigger a strong alarm signal for the immune system. This means they can help \u201cguide\u201d immune responses towards the tumour, and they can also serve as carriers for anti\u2011cancer drugs; in preclinical studies, particularly promising results have been seen in melanoma. Computational models help predict how such therapies will behave in the body before they move into clinical trials.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-oZqYER","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-t9n5QK","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-the-diversity-of-cancers-and-the-ndividuality-of-patients\">The diversity of cancers and the ndividuality of patients<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-the-diversity-of-cancers-and-the-ndividuality-of-patients\">The diversity of cancers and the ndividuality of patients<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-84u0nu","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\" class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The conversation strongly reinforces the message that \u201ccancer\u201d is not one disease but a vast group of biologically distinct conditions. Even tumours that share the same name can behave in dramatically different ways \u2013 for example, neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, can regress spontaneously in some patients while being highly aggressive in others. This underlines the need for personalised treatment strategies and an individual approach to each patient and their tumour.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p id=\"h-bacteria-as-a-therapeutic-tool\" class=\" eplus-wrapper\">The conversation strongly reinforces the message that \u201ccancer\u201d is not one disease but a vast group of biologically distinct conditions. Even tumours that share the same name can behave in dramatically different ways \u2013 for example, neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, can regress spontaneously in some patients while being highly aggressive in others. This underlines the need for personalised treatment strategies and an individual approach to each patient and their tumour.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"20px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-RN1yMu","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/heading","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-2Fd3ZQ","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-a-chronic-disease-and-the-role-of-computational-medicine\">Cancer as a chronic disease and the role of computational medicine<\/h2>\n","innerContent":["\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper\" id=\"h-cancer-as-a-chronic-disease-and-the-role-of-computational-medicine\">Cancer as a chronic disease and the role of computational medicine<\/h2>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-ihWb0m","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">In the final part of the discussion, the speakers reflect on the fact that cancers can increasingly be approached not as an inevitably fatal condition but as long-term conditions that can be managed over time. In many situations, the goal of medicine will not be to eradicate every last cancer cell but to keep the disease under durable control, monitor relapses, and maintain a high quality of life for patients. The speakers highlight the importance of a systemic approach that brings together biology, physics, mathematics, computer science, and medicine \u2013 precisely the space in which Sano Centre for Computational Medicine operates, developing digital \u201ctwins\u201d of patients and therapies, as well as computational models that simulate disease progression and help optimise treatment. In this way, the future of oncology becomes increasingly intertwined with computational medicine and the use of artificial intelligence to understand processes that once seemed too complex to grasp.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n<p class=\" eplus-wrapper\">In the final part of the discussion, the speakers reflect on the fact that cancers can increasingly be approached not as an inevitably fatal condition but as long-term conditions that can be managed over time. In many situations, the goal of medicine will not be to eradicate every last cancer cell but to keep the disease under durable control, monitor relapses, and maintain a high quality of life for patients. The speakers highlight the importance of a systemic approach that brings together biology, physics, mathematics, computer science, and medicine \u2013 precisely the space in which Sano Centre for Computational Medicine operates, developing digital \u201ctwins\u201d of patients and therapies, as well as computational models that simulate disease progression and help optimise treatment. In this way, the future of oncology becomes increasingly intertwined with computational medicine and the use of artificial intelligence to understand processes that once seemed too complex to grasp.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/spacer","attrs":{"height":"50px","epAnimationGeneratedClass":"edplus_anim-PLpfiM","epGeneratedClass":"eplus-wrapper"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer eplus-wrapper\"><\/div>\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/columns","attrs":{"epStylingOptions":{"epCustomColumnsResponsiveEnabled":true,"epCustomColumnsReverseResponsiveEnabled":true,"epCustomColumnsSpacingResponsiveEnabled":true,"epCustomColumns":{"target":"wp-block-column","responsive":true,"hover":false,"options":[{"custom":true,"control":"ColumnToggle"},{"label":"Responsive 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