Why is cancer so hard to cure?

[Kerryd22]

Asked why we haven’t cured cancer, Professor Glen Boyle doesn’t hesitate: “Because it’s bloody hard!”

Rather than one disease, cancer is a constellation of more than 200. It’s been linked to mutations in between 500 and 1000 genes (of the 20,000 or so in each person). “We are literally trying to tackle hundreds of different diseases and none are easy,” says Boyle at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane. “Every cancer is different – so there’s our first problem. In breast cancer alone, there are 20 to 30 different cancers [differentiated by their genetic mutations]. Almost every patient has a different kind of disease that behaves differently in their individual body.”

apple.news/AMeOCmo9DTAq7kPN...

This isn’t a quick read and it’s written by an Australian journalist but the facts are universal. I enjoyed it and I hope you do too. I’d recommend making a cup of tea or coffee and sitting down for a few minutes but it’s well worth the time. It’s written for laypeople like us and it’s easy to understand.

[Equinix]

Excellent article indeed - everybody in this forum should take the time to read.

[CalGal56]

Thanks for this. I passed it on to friends and family and they appreciated the journalists “layperson” approach 👍🏻

[PlutosNose]

Thanks for posting... WONDERFUL!

[mariootsi]

Thank you for sharing this article! It has unfortunately answered my question concerning no cure for cancer after billions of dollars and thousands of researchers working for years. A dose of reality.

[diamags]

Thank you for the article. I thought it really explained the challenges of cancer well.