I enjoyed this metaphor even though it's a bit misleading.
Suspension of apoptosis is necessary, but not sufficient, for cancer. We have plenty of non-cancerous cells that rarely or never undergo apoptosis such as neurons or stem.
The implication that immortality = cancer does not follow.
"The implication that immortality = cancer does not follow."
Indeed, cellular immortality may be cancer when it gets against apoptosis and it's just a natural thing when not. Cancer as well comprises a wider range of anomalous cellular developments that most often does not turn off the apoptosis. The metaphor however was about selfishness, on individual organism and cell level.
Suspension of apoptosis is necessary, but not sufficient, for cancer. We have plenty of non-cancerous cells that rarely or never undergo apoptosis such as neurons or stem.
The implication that immortality = cancer does not follow.