I just finished reading The Emperor of All Maladies, A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. Somehow he managed to take a complex subject and make it completely fascinating and comprehensible to a layperson. Following the history of cancer research and treatment would have been interesting but this book is so much more than that. I have no background in cellular biology (I won't count elementary courses in biology and physiology in college.) and this book gave me plenty of "aha! moments". So that's what a retrovirus really is! DNA--RNA--DNA, ad infinitum. Yeah, that makes sense. Wow!
More importantly, after guiding us through decades of confusion, guesswork and horrifying treatments where the cure was arguably worse than the disease, Dr. Mukherjee leaves us with the possibility of hope. Progress has been made. Some cancer drugs are now target specific.
Cancer has always seemed a mysterious ailment that appeared to randomly strike people down without rhyme or reason. Of course, there are known carcinogens such as tobacco and asbestos, but so many cancers occur in apparently healthy people without warning. Understanding the process (No, it doesn't manifest overnight!) just makes me feel less fearful. Logically, that doesn't really make much sense. How does knowing your enemy make you feel better, when he's holding a gun to your head? I refuse to argue with my emotions. This book has made me feel more confident in the human race. Scientists and doctors have been diligently working on this for decades and others will continue to do so. Whether self-serving or altruistic doesn't matter. Is there an end in sight? No, because we are genetically wired to produce cancers.
For the history lesson, the biology, the horror and the hope it imparts, I recommend this wonderful book. Every page is fascinating.
Cherish every moment,
Serena
More importantly, after guiding us through decades of confusion, guesswork and horrifying treatments where the cure was arguably worse than the disease, Dr. Mukherjee leaves us with the possibility of hope. Progress has been made. Some cancer drugs are now target specific.
Cancer has always seemed a mysterious ailment that appeared to randomly strike people down without rhyme or reason. Of course, there are known carcinogens such as tobacco and asbestos, but so many cancers occur in apparently healthy people without warning. Understanding the process (No, it doesn't manifest overnight!) just makes me feel less fearful. Logically, that doesn't really make much sense. How does knowing your enemy make you feel better, when he's holding a gun to your head? I refuse to argue with my emotions. This book has made me feel more confident in the human race. Scientists and doctors have been diligently working on this for decades and others will continue to do so. Whether self-serving or altruistic doesn't matter. Is there an end in sight? No, because we are genetically wired to produce cancers.
For the history lesson, the biology, the horror and the hope it imparts, I recommend this wonderful book. Every page is fascinating.
Cherish every moment,
Serena
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