Parodied pregnancy – a pathological process of rapid tumor formation, initiated by the fusion (hybridization) of epithelial somatic cells.
Note: In this case, the adjective "parodied" reflects the quality of the pathological process's imitation of the physiological process of pregnancy, without implying identity with it.
Pathological embryo (synonyms: tumor embryo, parodied embryo) – a rapidly growing cancerous tumor that arises from the fusion of epithelial somatic cells and developing during a parodied pregnancy.
Note: This definition takes into account both the cause and the process of tumor formation.
Pathoembryonic theory of cancer – a scientifically based system of views that adequately explains the origin and development of embryonic-type cancers initiated by the fusion (hybridization) of epithelial somatic cells.
Somatic hybridization – the fusion of non-reproductive cells under the influence of a fusogenic factor. In the context of the emergence of cancerous tumors with rapid growth rates, somatic hybridization acts as an initiating factor.
Fusogenic factor – the driving force that leads to the fusion of non-reproductive cells. In the context of somatic hybridization, fusogenic factors can include viruses (e.g., Sendai virus), chemicals (e.g., polyethylene glycol), or physical influences (e.g., an electric field with specific parameters).
An embryo is a human fetus in the initial stages of development before it emerges from the fetal membranes. This period lasts 8 weeks, after which the embryo is known as a fetus.
A fetus is the human organism developing in the womb after the formation of its major systems and organs. This period begins when the embryo reaches 8-9 weeks of age and is characterized by intensive growth, tissue differentiation, development of organs and systems, and the completion of the formation of the fetal membranes and placenta.
Thus, the main difference is that an embryo is a fetus at the initial stage of development, while a fetus is a developing organism after the formation of the main organs and systems.