No Scar as an Indication of Perfect Wound Healing, Ugly Scar as Imperfect Wound Healing and Cancer as Failed Wound Healing

Wound healing and cancer evolution are closely related to involve progenitor Stem Cells (PSCs) as the critical common elements. Wound healing requires the proliferation and the Terminal Differentiation (TD) of PSCs. Wound triggers biological and immunological responses. The biological response involves the release of Arachidonic acId (AA) from membrane bound phosphatidylinositol for the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) which are active differentiation inducers (DIs) good for wound healing. Immunological response prompts the production of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), which is also named cachectin after its effect to cause cachexia symptom. Cachexia symptom is bad for wound healing, because of excessive urinary excretion of low molecular weight metabolites resulting in the loss of wound healing metabolites. The proliferation of PSCs is promoted by PGs and the TD of PSCs is accomplished by metabolites involved in chemo-surveillance. Thus, the functionality of chemo-surveillance plays an important role to dictate the success of wound healing. If the functionality is perfect as healthy people, healing of wound with no scar can always be expected. But if the functionality of chemo-surveillance has been damaged due to pathological conditions causing cachexia symptom, then healing of wound may be impaired to result in ugly scar, or even worse cancer. Ugly scar in visible surface is a medical concern, particularly with respect to cosmetic surgery. Cancer is a very fearful disease. The study of wound healing is helpful to heal wound with no scar and to search for a more appropriate strategy of cancer therapy. Data in support of this opinion article were produced by Ming C. Liau as a volunteer researcher during 2010 to 2020 in the laboratory of Professor John P Fruehauf at Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Irvine Medical Center, CA,USA.