Evolution

Imagine a tumor is a team of players in a video game, where each player's character build (their set of chromosomes) is slightly different. Some builds are strong and fast, while others are weak. This study created a computer program, ALFA-K, that watches the game and creates a 'map' of the game world. The hills on the map represent powerful character builds that help the team win (high fitness), and the valleys are weak builds that get eliminated. ALFA-K is so smart it can not only map the builds it sees, but it can also predict which new, unseen builds are likely to be powerful. This helps scientists understand the rules of cancer's 'game' and how it adapts to challenges like chemotherapy.