The Oncology of the Human Mind

Our colossal, little World.

Puzzled cosmologists, an expanding universe and two, splendacious telescopes would sound like an excellent plot to a story, based especially in the Elizabethan era. But what if I told you that we are a part of this story too? Our cosmos is expanding, and this was proven by two people- Hubble and Webb. Well, they are not really “people”. I just anthropomorphized them. For the ones who know me (and are continuing to do so, for which I am eternally appreciative), would also know that I have been an ardent astrophysics enthusiast since day one. Starting my write-ups with astrophysical one-liners (or more, since I cannot promise anything) gives me immeasurable joy and delectation.

Now, I started with an expanding universe.

(…did I not?)  

But I am going to reroute this aircraft by just a bit.

*slyly changes the trajectory without anyone noticing*

 

A tale of deceit and Malignancy.

According to Science, the beams and walls of our bodies are composed of cells. Oncology, the study of cancer, makes us aware of the goodness and heinousness of these cells. We call the wicked ones, the “cancer cells”. The presence of oncogenes is what determines the fate of an innocent, little cell. Oncogenes are highly expressive- they cause mutation(s) through gene manipulation. Uncontrolled proliferation of cells (or, cellular growth) happens through the biological pathway of upregulation. It promotes the production of genes and gene products. Apoptosis, the process of pre-programmed cell death, helps in maintaining the cellular balance of our body. But surprisingly, the ability of carrying out apoptosis is not seen in cancer cells.

The human mind when corrupted, behaves in a way similar to these cancerous cells. The ones who have not been influenced, when touched by an oncogene, undergo mutation. From a proto-oncogene, slowly but steadily, the individual turns cancerous. Now, this cancer spreads like an infection. Ever heard of the Black Death? A plague caused by an entity as small as a bacterium and transmitted by fleas (the carrier of Yersinia pestis). It wiped out more than half of the European population.

 

The anomaly in the system.

The absence or the downregulation of imperative, growth-promoting factors which are needed for normal (non-cancerous) cells to proliferate, trigger the formation of malignant tumors in the body. This can be roughly translated in to;

- “the presence of goodness is what establishes and promises a safe, secure living”

And once this goodness gets extirpated due to extrinsic controls and influences, even humanity turns malevolent (or in terms of oncology, malignant). Ill will or malice spreads like wildfire, that is, they portray a property known as metastasis. Cells infected with oncogenes can break through the basal laminae of tissues. They then spread throughout the body, invading neighboring tissues, establishing secondary areas of growth. The primary area of growth is the source, or the origin of the cancer. The sink can be multiple in number. To go past the basal laminae, which is the boundary defining the tissue(s), it first has to be ruptured. This “rupturing” or destruction is done by proteases. These proteolytic enzymes can break proteins down in to smaller polypeptides or single amino acids. Proteases are secreted by metastatic tumors, with the help of which they can degrade the extracellular matrix. The ECM’s role is to provide support to the cells- biochemically and structurally.

 

The multi-hit model.

In accordance to the multi-hit hypothesis, multiple mutations are needed to turn a cell cancerous. They develop through distinct, morphological stages or phases. The dark side of humanity can have various criteria associated with it, just like cancer. However, in both cases, we cannot consider any one of the parameters as being the “sole” causative agent of the resultant product (or condition).

The Oncology of the Human Mind.

Vast lands. A beautiful amalgamation of human beings of various kind.

Co-existence. Living with one another- living for one another.

This used to be Our world back in the day- unrequited love with no complaints and faces gleaming with the right, munificent intentions. How did it all go so wrong then? Where did the present-day negativism and iniquity sprout from? It is no less than a poser. Just like cancer. And just like how oncogenic mutations are not carried in the germ-line DNA, inhumanity too is not an inherited trait. We, human beings, watch and learn. Ultraviolet (UV) radiations have the power to induce errors in a DNA sequence. A force of a superior order. We all start somewhere, every co-ordinate plane possesses a point of origin. The reason, however, is the same- both for cancer and humanity. Gene transmutation. It is all a very begrimed, political game of deceit and leverage. But, why is Aditi drawing parallels between the two now? It is because she feels we have all matured way more than we should have. Not like fine wine though, regrettably.