What is the meaning of cancer?

Cancer enters our lives almost every day. Somebody we know has cancer. We are tested for cancer. A famous person dies of cancer. Food we enjoy is found to cause cancer. The media announce a breakthrough in cancer treatment. There are constant questions about the causes of cancer, whether it can be cured, and the costs of treatment, but one question never seems to be asked: “What is the meaning of cancer?” Indeed, many people may think it a silly question, but Jarle Breivik, a distinguished Norwegian cancer researcher, discusses exactly that question in Making Sense of Cancer: From Its Evolutionary Origin to Its Societal Impact and the Ultimate Solution, which has just been published. In attempting to answer the question Breivik has written a book that reminded me of the writings of the physicist Carlo Rovelli: the book tackles complex scientific questions in a lyrical, highly readable and enjoyable…
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