The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Cell division allows us as organisms to grow, to adapt, to recover, to repair— to live.
Ironically, what is a testament to the unfathomable power of cell growth?
Cancer. Yes, cancer. What lies at the heart of a grotesque and multifaceted illness is essentially the distorted and unleashed power of cell growth, it allows cancer cells to grow to flourish, to adapt, to recover, and to repair— to live at the cost of our living.
This book is a history of cancer. It is a chronicle of an ancient disease— once a clandestine, “whispered-about” illness— that has metamorphosed into a lethal shape-lifting entity imbued with such penetrating metaphorical, medical, scientific, and political potency that cancer is often described as the defining plague of our generation. But really the book is a biography in the truest sense of the word— an attempt to enter the mind of this immortal illness, to understand its personality, to demystify its behaviour.
“The early history of cancer is that there is very little early history of cancer.”
The Mesopotamians knew their migraines; the Egyptians had a word for seizures. The Hindu Vedas have medical term for dropsy and a goddess specifically dedicated to smallpox. Tuberculosis was so omnipresent and familiar to the ancients that – as with ice and the Eskimos – distinct words exist for each incarnation of it. But even common cancers, such as breast, lung, and prostate, are conspicuously absent. With a few notable exceptions, in the vast stretch of medical history there is no book or God for cancer.
Is Cancer a modern disease? No. cancer’s emergence in the world is the product of a double negative: it becomes common only when all other killers themselves have been killed. Cancer is an age -related disease, sometimes exponentially so. In most ancient societies, people didn’t live long enough to get cancer. Men and women were long consumed by tuberculosis, dropsy, cholera, smallpox, leprosy, plague, or pneumonia. If cancer existed, it remained submerged under the sea of other illnesses. Civilization did not cause cancer, by extending human life spans— civilization simply unveiled it.
This book is about humanity. Throughout the book, the author tells a story of human resourcefulness, tenacity, and perseverance, but also of hubris, paternalism, and misperception. Mukherjee recounts centuries of breakthroughs, setbacks, triumphs, and deaths, presented through the lenses of his predecessors and peers, training their wits against an infinitely resourceful adversary that, just three decades ago, was thought to be easily vanquished in an all-out “war against cancer.”
This book is about dilemmas. The stories of the author’s patients consumed him, and the decisions he made haunted him. Was it worthwhile continuing yet another round of chemotherapy on a 66 year old pharmacist with lung cancer who had failed all other durgs? Was it better to try a tested and potent combination of drugs on a 26 year old woman with Hodgkin’s disease and risk losing her fertility or to choose a more experimental combination that might spare it? Should a Spanish-speaking mother of three with colon cancer be enrolled in a new clinical trial when she can barely read the formal and inscrutable language of the consent forms?
This book is about gratitude.Gratitude towards all the people who have soldiered through fiercely demanding regimens in order to survive, to suffer through the period of “radical surgery”, to persevered through the primitive and chemotherapy. Their courage and resilience have contributed to our understanding of this emblematic ailment.
To sum it up, In the grand tapestry of medical literature, "The Emperor of All Maladies" stands as a masterpiece that skillfully weaves science, history, and humanity together into a compelling narrative. Siddhartha Mukherjee's meticulous exploration of the labyrinthine world of cancer is a triumph in its own right, illuminating both the scientific strides and the poignant stories of those who have grappled with this formidable adversary. Through a remarkable blend of engaging prose and research, the book not only chronicles the progress of medical science but also resonates with the resilience of countless individuals who have waged their battles against the disease. Mukherjee's work fosters a profound appreciation for the intricacies of cancer while casting a hopeful light on the future of oncology. This book is an enduring testament to the power of human ingenuity, the tenacity of the human spirit, and the unwavering pursuit of knowledge in the face of adversity.
