Busting Robustness: Using Cancer’s Greatest Strength to Our Advantage

ABSTRACT

What do complex networks, such as those found in cancer cells, airplane flight patterns and the Internet have in common? A remarkable robustness with a surprising vulnerability. Complex networks follow remarkably similar patterns across seemingly unconnected fields, and it is possible that cancer researchers could thus learn from the advances in complex network theory. Very limited, yet coordinated, specific targeting of the most critical parts of a network can have dramatically outsized effects.

“At times, our strengths propel us so far forward we can no longer endure our weaknesses and perish from them.”

Nietzsche

KEYWORDS:

• cancer
• combination therapy
• complexity
• robustness
• scale free networks
• small molecule inhibitors
• targeted therapy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.