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Zbuntowana komórka Rak, ewolucja i tajniki życia
Wszystko, co wiecie o raku, to bzdura
Dlaczego chorujemy na nowotwory? Czy winne są nasza dieta albo środowisko? A może geny? Albo pech? Kat Arney, genetyczka i nagradzana pisarka popularnonaukowa, odpowiada wprost: niezależnie od wszystkich tych czynników chorujemy, bo nie możemy tego uniknąć – to błąd systemu zwanego życiem. Według nowych ustaleń choroba nowotworowa jest wynikiem tych samych zmian ewolucyjnych, które pozwoliły nam osiągnąć obecny stopień rozwoju, i dotykała ludzi, od kiedy pojawił się nasz gatunek.
Zbuntowana komórka to przystępnie napisana historia kryjąca się za słowem wywołującym lęk. Arney z humorem i w przejrzysty sposób przedstawia wyniki ostatnich badań na temat komórek nowotworowych, które rozwijają się i dzielą poza kontrolą naszego organizmu, a potem atakują tkanki wokół siebie. Obala mity narosłe wokół raka i proponuje nowy sposób myślenia na temat tego, czym naprawdę jest choroba nowotworowa, jaką rolę odgrywa w życiu człowieka i jak można ją powstrzymać.
To historia o raku opowiedziana na nowo.
Dlaczego chorujemy na nowotwory? Czy winne są nasza dieta albo środowisko? A może geny? Albo pech? Kat Arney, genetyczka i nagradzana pisarka popularnonaukowa, odpowiada wprost: niezależnie od wszystkich tych czynników chorujemy, bo nie możemy tego uniknąć – to błąd systemu zwanego życiem. Według nowych ustaleń choroba nowotworowa jest wynikiem tych samych zmian ewolucyjnych, które pozwoliły nam osiągnąć obecny stopień rozwoju, i dotykała ludzi, od kiedy pojawił się nasz gatunek.
Zbuntowana komórka to przystępnie napisana historia kryjąca się za słowem wywołującym lęk. Arney z humorem i w przejrzysty sposób przedstawia wyniki ostatnich badań na temat komórek nowotworowych, które rozwijają się i dzielą poza kontrolą naszego organizmu, a potem atakują tkanki wokół siebie. Obala mity narosłe wokół raka i proponuje nowy sposób myślenia na temat tego, czym naprawdę jest choroba nowotworowa, jaką rolę odgrywa w życiu człowieka i jak można ją powstrzymać.
To historia o raku opowiedziana na nowo.
376 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2020
119 people are currently reading
2187 people want to read
About the author
Kat Arney
11 books44 followersKat Arney is an award-winning science writer, broadcaster and public speaker, and is the founder and Creative Director of science communications and media consultancy First Create The Media. She is the author of 'Rebel Cell: Cancer, evolution and the science of life' (BenBella Books, 2020), 'How to Code a Human' (Andre Deutsch, 2017, republished as 'The Compact Guide: DNA') and the critically acclaimed 'Herding Hemingway's Cats: Understanding how our genes work' (Bloomsbury Sigma, 2016).
Kat holds a bachelor's degree in natural sciences and a PhD in developmental genetics from Cambridge University, and has spent more than 15 years working in science journalism and communication. She was a key part of the science communications team at Cancer Research UK for more than a decade, co-founding the charity's award-winning Science Blog, and acting as a principal national and international media spokesperson.
Her writing has featured in Wired, BBC Online, the Daily Mail, the Times Educational Supplement, The Guardian Online, Nature, Mosaic, the New Scientist and more. Kat presents the popular Genetics Unzipped podcast for The Genetics Society and has fronted several BBC Radio 4 science documentaries, including the recent series 'Ingenious' looking at the stories behind our genes and comedy factual series 'Did the Victorians Ruin the World?' with her sister, comedian Helen Arney. She was a co-host of the Naked Scientists radio show and podcast, and presented the Naked Genetics podcast for many years.
Kat holds a bachelor's degree in natural sciences and a PhD in developmental genetics from Cambridge University, and has spent more than 15 years working in science journalism and communication. She was a key part of the science communications team at Cancer Research UK for more than a decade, co-founding the charity's award-winning Science Blog, and acting as a principal national and international media spokesperson.
Her writing has featured in Wired, BBC Online, the Daily Mail, the Times Educational Supplement, The Guardian Online, Nature, Mosaic, the New Scientist and more. Kat presents the popular Genetics Unzipped podcast for The Genetics Society and has fronted several BBC Radio 4 science documentaries, including the recent series 'Ingenious' looking at the stories behind our genes and comedy factual series 'Did the Victorians Ruin the World?' with her sister, comedian Helen Arney. She was a co-host of the Naked Scientists radio show and podcast, and presented the Naked Genetics podcast for many years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
February 28, 2022
A quote that summarizes why I liked the book:
It's baffling to me that more people in the field of oncology haven't noticed the parallels with what's going on in the wider world of ecology and evolution. Perhaps there's a certain snobbishness from the white-coated scientists in their pristine laboratories believing that there's little to learn from ecologists who like to get their boots muddy. But their experience tells us that the secret to controlling advanced cancer in the long term lies not just in expecting resistance, but in actively planning for and managing it too. (p. 336)
This is written by someone who has thought a lot about cancer, and biology, and genetics. To the point where she is able to see the flaws in the system of a lot of the entrenched (and I would argue, siloed) ways of thinking. Kat Arney moves breezily from one concept to the next, with unusual and novel concepts introduced along the way (I didn't know stress can trigger ancient, transposon-driven gene action, for example--hidden protocols in the program of survival of cells) and opinionated takes on the industry around cancer and the barriers to translational research and its effectiveness. In the end, it painted a picture for me of cancer as a byproduct of life's desire to replicate itself and survive. It undoubtedly should be looked at through an evolutionary lens.
I found out about it through her podcast, Genetics Unzipped, which introduced me to the author's skill at simply explaining very complex concepts.
It's baffling to me that more people in the field of oncology haven't noticed the parallels with what's going on in the wider world of ecology and evolution. Perhaps there's a certain snobbishness from the white-coated scientists in their pristine laboratories believing that there's little to learn from ecologists who like to get their boots muddy. But their experience tells us that the secret to controlling advanced cancer in the long term lies not just in expecting resistance, but in actively planning for and managing it too. (p. 336)
This is written by someone who has thought a lot about cancer, and biology, and genetics. To the point where she is able to see the flaws in the system of a lot of the entrenched (and I would argue, siloed) ways of thinking. Kat Arney moves breezily from one concept to the next, with unusual and novel concepts introduced along the way (I didn't know stress can trigger ancient, transposon-driven gene action, for example--hidden protocols in the program of survival of cells) and opinionated takes on the industry around cancer and the barriers to translational research and its effectiveness. In the end, it painted a picture for me of cancer as a byproduct of life's desire to replicate itself and survive. It undoubtedly should be looked at through an evolutionary lens.
I found out about it through her podcast, Genetics Unzipped, which introduced me to the author's skill at simply explaining very complex concepts.
October 31, 2023
A great book on cancer research and the link between cancer and ecology. During my work as a radiation therapist, I often tried to connect the processes of cancer with ecology, so I loved to read that more people are realising the parallels. The book is easy to read for people with a little background knowledge and well written. Unfortunately there is a lot of repeating in chapters, and I really missed the author's view on radiation therapy, as it is mostly about chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
March 22, 2021
I have been interested in cancer for a long time now, fascinated by it both as a disease, and as an evolutionary process. It’s a good example of selfish selection in action; cancer cells optimise their own outcomes, growing unchecked, at a cost to the larger organism. It’s slightly reminiscent of the monopolistic tendencies of big tech companies, cutting competition in markets, which is analogous to the tissue damage that cancer can bring about. To try to break this down, the book broadly divides cancer up into 2 questions. How does cancer work evolutionarily within a body, and can we use this knowledge to devise treatment strategies?
Arney acknowledges how much of our understanding of how cancer works has been based on a reductionist approach (e.g. mutation A affects pathway B, and causes effect C), but argues that this does not work well in isolation. Tumours are not entirely compromised of cancer cells; in a rather insidious way, normal cells become co-opted to serve the cancer cells’ nefarious purposes.
There was an entire chapter devoted to evaluating the idea that cancer is a relatively new disease, which only emerged because we started living longer. The “gaps in the fossil record” argument can be applied to this, but Arney does a good job of showing why this is a particularly important consideration when looking for tumours in ancient specimens. After all, cancers are (for the most part) tissues which do not survive the ravages of time, not like bone, so it’s unlikely that there would be any obvious evidence of tumours/cancers in ancient specimens.
The second question about creating new treatment strategies was very interesting, discussing the famous immunotherapy based checkpoint inhibitors (which are discussed at length in The Breakthrough: Immunotherapy and the Race to Cure Cancer), as well as a few interesting ideas. Some cancer cells develop resistance to “traditional” chemotherapy by using molecular pumps which eject these drugs out of the cell. However, this offers an interesting targeting opportunity; we can use “decoy” drugs, which put these pumps into overdrive, draining the energy reserves of the resistant cells, reducing their ability to divide.
Robert Oppenheimer famously remarked, of the creation of the atomic bomb, “now I am become death, destroyer of worlds.” The lesser known provenance of this quote is its origin from a piece of Hindu scripture, the Bhavagad Gita, in which the god Vishnu, in an attempt to gain the favour of a prince, takes on his multi-armed appearance, and remarks that he has become death, the destroyer of worlds. Much like Vishnu, cancer cells develop many effector arms which allow them to sow the seeds of death and destruction, but these arms are also targets. It’s a question of we manage this delicate balancing act between hitting these targets and outmanoeuvring resistance.
Arney acknowledges how much of our understanding of how cancer works has been based on a reductionist approach (e.g. mutation A affects pathway B, and causes effect C), but argues that this does not work well in isolation. Tumours are not entirely compromised of cancer cells; in a rather insidious way, normal cells become co-opted to serve the cancer cells’ nefarious purposes.
There was an entire chapter devoted to evaluating the idea that cancer is a relatively new disease, which only emerged because we started living longer. The “gaps in the fossil record” argument can be applied to this, but Arney does a good job of showing why this is a particularly important consideration when looking for tumours in ancient specimens. After all, cancers are (for the most part) tissues which do not survive the ravages of time, not like bone, so it’s unlikely that there would be any obvious evidence of tumours/cancers in ancient specimens.
The second question about creating new treatment strategies was very interesting, discussing the famous immunotherapy based checkpoint inhibitors (which are discussed at length in The Breakthrough: Immunotherapy and the Race to Cure Cancer), as well as a few interesting ideas. Some cancer cells develop resistance to “traditional” chemotherapy by using molecular pumps which eject these drugs out of the cell. However, this offers an interesting targeting opportunity; we can use “decoy” drugs, which put these pumps into overdrive, draining the energy reserves of the resistant cells, reducing their ability to divide.
Robert Oppenheimer famously remarked, of the creation of the atomic bomb, “now I am become death, destroyer of worlds.” The lesser known provenance of this quote is its origin from a piece of Hindu scripture, the Bhavagad Gita, in which the god Vishnu, in an attempt to gain the favour of a prince, takes on his multi-armed appearance, and remarks that he has become death, the destroyer of worlds. Much like Vishnu, cancer cells develop many effector arms which allow them to sow the seeds of death and destruction, but these arms are also targets. It’s a question of we manage this delicate balancing act between hitting these targets and outmanoeuvring resistance.
September 22, 2020
Wonderful science writing
I loved this book. The writing is great, with a conversational tone. The science is clearly explained and Kat Arney writes with a good sense of humor, which is a real balancing act since this book is about cancer. Arney also uses lots of puns and some very clever wording. Read the footnotes: some clarify and some are just entertaining. I found it hard to put the book down. I especially liked the historical discussions. I recommend this book for anyone interested in science or medicine.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
I loved this book. The writing is great, with a conversational tone. The science is clearly explained and Kat Arney writes with a good sense of humor, which is a real balancing act since this book is about cancer. Arney also uses lots of puns and some very clever wording. Read the footnotes: some clarify and some are just entertaining. I found it hard to put the book down. I especially liked the historical discussions. I recommend this book for anyone interested in science or medicine.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.
August 16, 2020
This whole book is amazing, but the chapter on contagious cancers is particularly amazing: https://blogendorff.com/2020/08/16/bo...
October 18, 2020
Just what a popular science book should be
Rebel Cell by Kat Arney is a very interesting take on cancer - explaining the disease from an evolutionary standpoint and introducing novel approaches to treat patients. The author touches on the history of cancer research, describes fascinating manifestations of the disease in the world of animals and dives deep into the theory of evolution relating to cancer. The writing is immensely engaging, the scientific aspects are explained very well and are definitely accessible to a wide audience.
All in all a highly recommendable book!
Rebel Cell by Kat Arney is a very interesting take on cancer - explaining the disease from an evolutionary standpoint and introducing novel approaches to treat patients. The author touches on the history of cancer research, describes fascinating manifestations of the disease in the world of animals and dives deep into the theory of evolution relating to cancer. The writing is immensely engaging, the scientific aspects are explained very well and are definitely accessible to a wide audience.
All in all a highly recommendable book!
December 6, 2024
Though GR doesn't acknowledge it as existing, this was an Audible Audio format read by the author. Two consequences of moving in May of this year increased my audio book consumption: the lack of internet for 6 months, and my new long commute. My husband's cancer diagnosis made me move this one to the top of my list.
It's been ages since I graduated from Florida Tech with a BS in Biology, with a focus in Molecular Bio and Genetics, and since I ended up settling in an area of Virginia that didn't offer any jobs in that field, much of my knowledge has faded. Still, I find the subject interesting and have connection to the basics due to working in veterinary medicine for the past 25 years. Rebel Cell is absolutely fascinating, (and terrifying), well-written with oodles of research. And believe it or not, it's humorous as well. But as soon as I finished, I ordered the hard copy, because the science is intense, even for someone with my background, and I need the visual. So, yeah, you can expect another review of the reread!!
It's been ages since I graduated from Florida Tech with a BS in Biology, with a focus in Molecular Bio and Genetics, and since I ended up settling in an area of Virginia that didn't offer any jobs in that field, much of my knowledge has faded. Still, I find the subject interesting and have connection to the basics due to working in veterinary medicine for the past 25 years. Rebel Cell is absolutely fascinating, (and terrifying), well-written with oodles of research. And believe it or not, it's humorous as well. But as soon as I finished, I ordered the hard copy, because the science is intense, even for someone with my background, and I need the visual. So, yeah, you can expect another review of the reread!!
April 22, 2023
Everyone should read this book -- just mho. :-)
The basic ideas as I understand them:
- Cancer is a consequence of multi-cellular life & the forces of evolution
- It happens all through the animal kingdom (& in plants, though differently)
- The current therapies aren't working for advanced cancers
- We could think of cancer as a 'species' within a particular body, that is evolving
- We 'know' how to send species into extinction
- With some thought, we can perhaps figure out how to send cancers into extinction or at least into not growing so far out of control to kill people (or at least it's a reasonable thing to try)
The basic ideas as I understand them:
- Cancer is a consequence of multi-cellular life & the forces of evolution
- It happens all through the animal kingdom (& in plants, though differently)
- The current therapies aren't working for advanced cancers
- We could think of cancer as a 'species' within a particular body, that is evolving
- We 'know' how to send species into extinction
- With some thought, we can perhaps figure out how to send cancers into extinction or at least into not growing so far out of control to kill people (or at least it's a reasonable thing to try)
November 20, 2023
I liked learning about all the advances and weirdness about cancer. The most bizarre was the fact that a tapeworm got cancer and then gave it to an HIV infected person.
January 7, 2021
Fascinating, informative, entertaining... this is my favourite kind of science writing.
March 9, 2021
My own oncologist has tried many times to explain to me how "my" cancer works and why I'm on the treatment plan that I'm on. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the information. After reading Rebel Cell, the lightbulb has switched on just like the mutated genes messing with my cells. I urge cancer patients to give this book a try, it's not too "jargon-y," in fact Arney can be very funny. Sadly, for every hopeful/game changing break through there seems to be a reality check which is that even after a century of research the answer to many common cancer questions ("why me?" or "why did my treatment stop working?" or "is the cure permanent?") is "We don't know." It can be frustrating to read that "Cancer is the price of life." The assumption being that if we live long enough something will activate a rebel cell that already exists in our body to start the evolution that creates tumors etc. On the other hand everyone has a chance to be the 1 in 5, 1 in 10, 1 in 100 that responds to treatment and never hears from the rebel cells again.
November 23, 2022
Wonderful book. Highly recommended for everyone interested in science and medicine, but in particular for anyone who has personal experience with cancer. I remember how disappointed I was with famous "The Emperor of All Maladies" by Siddhartha Mukherjee - don't get me wrong, I don't mean that it is so bad, but despite the subtitle "A Biography of Cancer" the book was focused rather on the history of cancer research and people who did it than on the phenomena itself.
Here Kat Arney comes to the rescue: her brilliant, witty book is exactly "everything you always wanted to know" about cancer, from the origins to molecular mechanisms to newest drugs. She also masterly fights the taboo of this disease, showing that the eponymous rebel cells are a natural consequence of life itself, not a curse or a punishment for our sins.
Thanks to the publisher, BenBella Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Here Kat Arney comes to the rescue: her brilliant, witty book is exactly "everything you always wanted to know" about cancer, from the origins to molecular mechanisms to newest drugs. She also masterly fights the taboo of this disease, showing that the eponymous rebel cells are a natural consequence of life itself, not a curse or a punishment for our sins.
Thanks to the publisher, BenBella Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
October 4, 2021
Absolutely superb science writing.
I read Cancer: The Evolutionary Legacy a few years ago and really enjoyed the author's treatment of cancer as an evolutionary phenomenon, but found that a lot of the basic science was out of date. I also found that the writing was rather dry; more of a textbook than a popular science book.
I've since read some more recent books about cancer that brought the background science up to date for their time, but didn't give as complete a picture of cancer as this book does.
Rebel Cell represents the best of both worlds. It brings the science bang up to date, to the extent that it includes several phenomena I hadn't heard of since leaving the cancer research field at the end of 2017 (I thought I was more or less up to date, but apparently not). It also does a great job of driving home the concept that although many individual cases are preventable, cancer in general is an inevitable consequence of our biology. The real strength of the book comes at the end, where Arney discusses the latest thinking on how treating cancer in an evolutionary, ecological context could completely change the way the disease is managed, giving people more quantity and quality of life with fewer side-effects. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
I read Cancer: The Evolutionary Legacy a few years ago and really enjoyed the author's treatment of cancer as an evolutionary phenomenon, but found that a lot of the basic science was out of date. I also found that the writing was rather dry; more of a textbook than a popular science book.
I've since read some more recent books about cancer that brought the background science up to date for their time, but didn't give as complete a picture of cancer as this book does.
Rebel Cell represents the best of both worlds. It brings the science bang up to date, to the extent that it includes several phenomena I hadn't heard of since leaving the cancer research field at the end of 2017 (I thought I was more or less up to date, but apparently not). It also does a great job of driving home the concept that although many individual cases are preventable, cancer in general is an inevitable consequence of our biology. The real strength of the book comes at the end, where Arney discusses the latest thinking on how treating cancer in an evolutionary, ecological context could completely change the way the disease is managed, giving people more quantity and quality of life with fewer side-effects. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
February 22, 2023
In a world where cancer is one of the top leading chronic conditions faced by human and animals, Kat Arney's Rebel Cell novel introduces an in-depth look into the world of oncology. This topic can be very complex and dense for even those in the medical field who specialize in a different area. But the way Arney breaks down even the history of cancer research and its application in both the animal and human worlds allows for all people to be able to have a better understanding of this topic.
As someone who is no stranger to cancer, I will say that this book has helped clear concepts that most medical professionals have a hard time explaining. I saw someone post that Arney has a podcast called, Genetics Unzipped. I hope that it is still active, if so, I definitely plan on looking through her content to see what else she has discussed.
Lastly, I seriously would recommend this book as recommended reading for evolutionary biology courses, biomedical and genetics courses, seminar courses, or anything else that is related. If you are hesitant in adding it to your syllabus, I would recommend doing a pilot one year and asking your students how helpful this book is to them. I strongly believe it will make your lectures a lot easier.
*I received this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
As someone who is no stranger to cancer, I will say that this book has helped clear concepts that most medical professionals have a hard time explaining. I saw someone post that Arney has a podcast called, Genetics Unzipped. I hope that it is still active, if so, I definitely plan on looking through her content to see what else she has discussed.
Lastly, I seriously would recommend this book as recommended reading for evolutionary biology courses, biomedical and genetics courses, seminar courses, or anything else that is related. If you are hesitant in adding it to your syllabus, I would recommend doing a pilot one year and asking your students how helpful this book is to them. I strongly believe it will make your lectures a lot easier.
*I received this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
June 14, 2025
Cancer is the price of life. Kat Arney is simply fantastic. For years, I’ve listened to her ‘Genetics Unzipped’ podcast and her dedication to public science communication is incredibly valuable.
‘Rebel Cell’ accomplishes its toughest goal: explaining the immense complexity of cancer. Most people, myself included, prior to reading this book; have the wrong conception. Cancer is not simply driver mutations in our cells proliferating into a deadly disease. The most important distinction Arney makes about cancer, is that it is an evolutionary process.
One of the hand, if you know a slight amount about microbiology this seems obvious but when coupled with the details about how cancer cells work or present themselves within the system of the body - the emphasis on evolution is so important.
‘Rebel Cell’ is ultimately a call for the public, pharmaceutical companies and scientists to view cancer not as a oncogene and mutation specific disease but rather as an evolutionary process. The book is highly convincing that this is the next important step in our battle against the disease. The idea of using mathematics to trace where cancer might move depending on the drugs and therapies we use was incredibly interesting.
Great history, great writing and touch of humor to lighten things up. If you’re interested in cancer - this is a must read.
‘Rebel Cell’ accomplishes its toughest goal: explaining the immense complexity of cancer. Most people, myself included, prior to reading this book; have the wrong conception. Cancer is not simply driver mutations in our cells proliferating into a deadly disease. The most important distinction Arney makes about cancer, is that it is an evolutionary process.
One of the hand, if you know a slight amount about microbiology this seems obvious but when coupled with the details about how cancer cells work or present themselves within the system of the body - the emphasis on evolution is so important.
‘Rebel Cell’ is ultimately a call for the public, pharmaceutical companies and scientists to view cancer not as a oncogene and mutation specific disease but rather as an evolutionary process. The book is highly convincing that this is the next important step in our battle against the disease. The idea of using mathematics to trace where cancer might move depending on the drugs and therapies we use was incredibly interesting.
Great history, great writing and touch of humor to lighten things up. If you’re interested in cancer - this is a must read.
October 18, 2020
A master class in science writing and an exciting look into the world of cancer research!
Kat Arney formerly worked in science communications at Cancer Research UK - in this book, she seeks to clear up misconceptions about cancer itself and why we get it, as well as shed light on why personalized medicine hasn't yet led to major long-term survival gains. The tagline "everything we know about cancer is wrong" is a slight exaggeration, but Arney does a great job sorting through cancer research's failures and successes and introducing the reader to researchers who are trying new strategies to attack tumors. I especially enjoyed the sections about combatting tumor evolution using adaptive therapy and game theory.
Arney's writing style is wonderfully clear and witty - she does a great job introducing complex concepts without bogging the reader down with unnecessary details. I think that this book will speak to both a general and a specialist audience. I like to think I know a lot about cancer, but I still learned many new things from this book. I highly recommend Rebel Cell to anyone seeking to learn more about cancer.
Thank you to BenBella Books for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kat Arney formerly worked in science communications at Cancer Research UK - in this book, she seeks to clear up misconceptions about cancer itself and why we get it, as well as shed light on why personalized medicine hasn't yet led to major long-term survival gains. The tagline "everything we know about cancer is wrong" is a slight exaggeration, but Arney does a great job sorting through cancer research's failures and successes and introducing the reader to researchers who are trying new strategies to attack tumors. I especially enjoyed the sections about combatting tumor evolution using adaptive therapy and game theory.
Arney's writing style is wonderfully clear and witty - she does a great job introducing complex concepts without bogging the reader down with unnecessary details. I think that this book will speak to both a general and a specialist audience. I like to think I know a lot about cancer, but I still learned many new things from this book. I highly recommend Rebel Cell to anyone seeking to learn more about cancer.
Thank you to BenBella Books for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2020
Rebel Cell is an accessible and erudite exploration of cancer as an evolutionary phenomenon. It's appropriate for a general audience; it's lively, witty, and exemplifies good science writing by showing you a familiar topic in a completely new light. (I had at least a dozen "a-ha" moments as I read it.) Arney introduces you to the idea that cells have been cheating one another ever since they decided to call a formal truce and joined up to cooperate in bodies. Drawing on her genetics background, she discusses how evolution accounts for the complexity and intractability of cancers. Arney has interviewed the researchers who are using new genetic sequencing technologies to understand the how cancers change over time and across a tumor. I think the most surprising and interesting insights that fall out of thinking about cancer as an evolutionary disease come are the "ecological" solutions to cancer management and treatment. The scientists that Arney has talked to are beginning to explore these sometimes counterintuitive treatments that exploit aggressive cancer cells' natural competitors. Thought provoking, mind-embiggening stuff. Highly recommended.
March 28, 2024
This is an extremely readable and very interesting book about cancer and why we have never been able to find a cure. Arney argues that our current approach to treating cancer fails to recognise that cancer cells are constantly undergoing evolution which means our existing treatment methods and drugs always lead to resistant strains that end up killing us.
Until we start to treat cancer as a constantly evolving disease we will never be able to adapt our treatments to try to stop or curtail the evolution of nastier cancer cells, and drug companies will continue to produce variants of the same types of drugs which have minimal impact on the disease.
As a complete layperson the argument and evidence that Arney presents makes complete sense and her description of what currently happens to people undergoing cancer treatment with existing drugs and methods matches what I have seen happen in loved ones I have lost to cancer.
If Arney is right, then the blindness and arrogance of scientists, medical professionals, and drug companies who refuse to admit the current approach is not working and test out other theories is even scarier than the disease itself.
Until we start to treat cancer as a constantly evolving disease we will never be able to adapt our treatments to try to stop or curtail the evolution of nastier cancer cells, and drug companies will continue to produce variants of the same types of drugs which have minimal impact on the disease.
As a complete layperson the argument and evidence that Arney presents makes complete sense and her description of what currently happens to people undergoing cancer treatment with existing drugs and methods matches what I have seen happen in loved ones I have lost to cancer.
If Arney is right, then the blindness and arrogance of scientists, medical professionals, and drug companies who refuse to admit the current approach is not working and test out other theories is even scarier than the disease itself.
October 22, 2025
There is a major chance that you will get cancer, so it is better to know something about it!
This book takes an interesting point of view, looking at tumors as ecologies of cells that have gone rogue, mutate like hell and continously change under evolutionary pressures.
The book is not very optimistic about treatments of tumors that have gone into metastasis. Most "miracle drugs" are all very similar, prolong life with months, not years. And tend to lead to development of resistance by the tumors, after which they start growing even faster than before.
The most hopeful chapter describes adaptive drugs therapy, a method copied from the way farmers prevent pesticide resistance in bugs or fungi. Insted of trying to kill the tumors, the objective is to keep them under control. Instead uf using the highest possible dose of drugs, the lowest dose is used that shrinks the tumors, after which using teh drug is stopped till the tumor starts growing again.
Well written book with interesting points of view.
This book takes an interesting point of view, looking at tumors as ecologies of cells that have gone rogue, mutate like hell and continously change under evolutionary pressures.
The book is not very optimistic about treatments of tumors that have gone into metastasis. Most "miracle drugs" are all very similar, prolong life with months, not years. And tend to lead to development of resistance by the tumors, after which they start growing even faster than before.
The most hopeful chapter describes adaptive drugs therapy, a method copied from the way farmers prevent pesticide resistance in bugs or fungi. Insted of trying to kill the tumors, the objective is to keep them under control. Instead uf using the highest possible dose of drugs, the lowest dose is used that shrinks the tumors, after which using teh drug is stopped till the tumor starts growing again.
Well written book with interesting points of view.
July 23, 2021
Intermediate friendly, but not so bad for those with basic knowledge in genetics.
Kat Arney did great in explaining the innovations and general information about man's adventure in battling with evolution's horrifying by-product, cancer.
I find the book similar to a research paper's article critique. Arney introduced a certain scientist's theory/paper/experiment then briefly explained the cons and lengthy narrated the pros. Making me reread some paragraphs multiple times, as it can be confusing and wordy.
After reading this book, I felt like I knew everything there is to know (as per the book content) about cancer and a teeny bit about cell mutation. I just hoped that Arney wrote some arguments about some stance, like the situation of leukaemia in hyper-progression, etc. It also made me kind of wish that they included and expounded on bizarre cancers.
Disclaimer: This is my first scientific non-fiction book.
Kat Arney did great in explaining the innovations and general information about man's adventure in battling with evolution's horrifying by-product, cancer.
I find the book similar to a research paper's article critique. Arney introduced a certain scientist's theory/paper/experiment then briefly explained the cons and lengthy narrated the pros. Making me reread some paragraphs multiple times, as it can be confusing and wordy.
After reading this book, I felt like I knew everything there is to know (as per the book content) about cancer and a teeny bit about cell mutation. I just hoped that Arney wrote some arguments about some stance, like the situation of leukaemia in hyper-progression, etc. It also made me kind of wish that they included and expounded on bizarre cancers.
Disclaimer: This is my first scientific non-fiction book.
November 27, 2024
This book offers a deep and thought-provoking exploration of what we know—and what we don’t know—about cancer. While the slow progress in oncology research can feel frustrating as we witness so much suffering, Kat Arney skillfully explains the science and challenges the way we think about this complex disease.
Arney advocates for a much-needed shift in how we approach cancer—not with expectations of miracle cures, but by managing it as a chronic condition where possible. Perhaps most refreshingly, the book also calls for a change in the way medical professionals set expectations. Instead of treatment after treatment in the hope of a universal solution, there’s an urgent need to focus on realistic outcomes, balancing quality and quantity of life. Sometimes, the best treatment is no treatment.
Sobering yet essential, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand the science of life—and how we fight to preserve it.
Arney advocates for a much-needed shift in how we approach cancer—not with expectations of miracle cures, but by managing it as a chronic condition where possible. Perhaps most refreshingly, the book also calls for a change in the way medical professionals set expectations. Instead of treatment after treatment in the hope of a universal solution, there’s an urgent need to focus on realistic outcomes, balancing quality and quantity of life. Sometimes, the best treatment is no treatment.
Sobering yet essential, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand the science of life—and how we fight to preserve it.
November 12, 2020
The mechanisms of cancer are a smash and grab repurposing of our own cellular processes. In Rebel Cell, Kat Arney expertly guides us through the complicated, and often mis-understood, world of malignancy. In shining a light on the evolutionary processes which allow cancer to form and then develop resistance to drug treatments Kat highlights the limitations of current treatments and points us towards some exciting developments in our approaches to cancer therapy.
Rebel Cell is extremely well informed and written with a clear passion for the topic. Expert story telling and no little amount of well placed humour makes this a refreshingly honest account and an absolute must read for anyone interested in understanding cancer.
Rebel Cell is extremely well informed and written with a clear passion for the topic. Expert story telling and no little amount of well placed humour makes this a refreshingly honest account and an absolute must read for anyone interested in understanding cancer.
July 7, 2021
This was like a deep dive into the subject of cancer, but from a whole different angle -the cellular one, where everything actually happens before becoming full-blown cancer. As a cancer survivor, learning of the mechanics behind this process helped a lot to shed a light on what happened to me and to countless others, though there is no actual set-in-stone reason for anything like it to happen...
But this was terribly eye-opening, and I loved the tone of the author. It was like a lecture that everyone wants to attend, because it will impart information all while not being at all boring.
While I won't call this an enjoyable read, what with the subject matter and the complexity of the topic, it is however very informative and riveting.
But this was terribly eye-opening, and I loved the tone of the author. It was like a lecture that everyone wants to attend, because it will impart information all while not being at all boring.
While I won't call this an enjoyable read, what with the subject matter and the complexity of the topic, it is however very informative and riveting.
December 12, 2021
Eco-Evo
I thought the central point of the book was obvious common sense, but from what Kat says, it isn't so for the cancer treatment system.
When you have 800,000 mutations, how does it make any sense to speak of targeted /personal meds?
What the author puts forward is much more logical, to treat cancer as an evolving organism, taking into account the environment it grows in (the eco part), and then predict the next steps it will probably evolve into.
Her explanation for the lack of progress, ie. the 'me too' attitude of the pharmaceutical industry, is not a conspiracy theory but a regular business practice.
Overall it's a good book if you don't know anything about cancer, I was personally looking for something more technical.
I thought the central point of the book was obvious common sense, but from what Kat says, it isn't so for the cancer treatment system.
When you have 800,000 mutations, how does it make any sense to speak of targeted /personal meds?
What the author puts forward is much more logical, to treat cancer as an evolving organism, taking into account the environment it grows in (the eco part), and then predict the next steps it will probably evolve into.
Her explanation for the lack of progress, ie. the 'me too' attitude of the pharmaceutical industry, is not a conspiracy theory but a regular business practice.
Overall it's a good book if you don't know anything about cancer, I was personally looking for something more technical.
November 6, 2023
Smartly, pragmatic and enlightening read, on a topic that should be of interest to all: a modern and comprehensive view on cancer, its nature and its perspective. A strong conclusion, that is meant to give us support, instead of despair: To "fight" cancer is like fighting evolution, because cancer IS evolution, and it is ecology. To "fight" cancer is like fighting old age. We will all get there eventually, and die of it, if nothing else kills us before. Yet, we can take measures to postpone its malign onset, and we can have hope that once installed, we will still have better and better chances to prolong our life while tolerating the chronic symbiote, the multifaceted cancer, until it will eventually kill us. But we cannot "beat" cancer, as we cannot "beat" nature.
December 19, 2021
The book is a review of the science defining cancer and clinical alternatives to impact this disease. The author does a great job in making the story interesting and tasteful.
We reach the end of the book to understand that cancer is likely an intrinsic part of reproduction mechanisms and that it leverages all evolutionary mechanisms to grow. So the battle with cancer cannot be seen as a simple fix, rather a holistic management process.
I think the author should have dedicated more of the book to explaining the socioeconomic aspect of different types of cancer. Which types are prevalent? What is thpical survival like? How does it compare to other illness?
We reach the end of the book to understand that cancer is likely an intrinsic part of reproduction mechanisms and that it leverages all evolutionary mechanisms to grow. So the battle with cancer cannot be seen as a simple fix, rather a holistic management process.
I think the author should have dedicated more of the book to explaining the socioeconomic aspect of different types of cancer. Which types are prevalent? What is thpical survival like? How does it compare to other illness?
May 24, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It's not something I would normally pick up and my first book ever on cancer but i found the way it's been written really enjoyable and easy for my non- science brain to understand.
The book allows the reader to see the evolution of cancer, understand it's causes and how it spreads, and looks at different treatments.
I definitely learnt from the book and if anyone I knew contracted cancer, including myself, i would probably want to re-read this.
Well explained, formatted and interesting.
The book allows the reader to see the evolution of cancer, understand it's causes and how it spreads, and looks at different treatments.
I definitely learnt from the book and if anyone I knew contracted cancer, including myself, i would probably want to re-read this.
Well explained, formatted and interesting.
October 26, 2020
I absolutely LOVED this book. Kat Arney is such a good writer and her personality comes through with every page, ESPECIALLY when she takes on the wellness industry. I learned more about evolution and I was particularly swayed by her argument of viewing cancer in an evolutionary lens and what that means for treatment and therapies going forward. I definitely want to explore more of Kat Arney's bibliography and I'm excited for more publications from her in the future.
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January 15, 2022Phenomenally fascinating. This book dives into cancer not from an antagonistic perspective, but from the lives and experience of scientists, doctors, and oncologists who have tried to fight cancer. Using multiple "general" chemotherapy drugs, staying away from synthetic compounds that interfere with DNA sequencing by destroying codons, and understanding the prevalence of tumor formation and cancer metastasizing in humans is essential for its prevention, and soon, its cure.
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