KIRKUS REVIEWS SAYS "GET IT!
- "A remarkably lucid discussion of the startling advancements in cancer therapy...he writes with admirable clarity...a marvelous book that's packed with knowledge, insight, and hope."
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ASTONISHING MEDICINES THAT ARE CHANGING
HOW WE TREAT CANCER IN THE 21ST CENTURY
READ THE WINNER OF 9 BOOK AWARDS, INCLUDING:
- THE IAN (INDEPENDENT AUTHOR'S NETWORK) AWARD IN HEALTH/MEDICINE/FITNESS/DIETING
- INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN HEALTH: CANCER
- BIBA (BEST INDIE BOOK AWARD) IN MEDICINE
Skillfully blending two centuries of scientific discovery with the latest breakthroughs in 21st-century biology, a biochemist, cancer drug developer, and former Executive Director at Amgen draws upon his four decades of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry in this compelling and accessible origin story of immunotherapy and other seemingly miraculous medicines. These drugs are driving a dramatic shift from toxic and destructive chemotherapies to new classes of precision medicines that target cancer at its molecular roots and stimulate the immune system to seek out and destroy tumors.
Come meet a cast of scientific characters both famous and obscure whose groundbreaking contributions have torn the lid off of cancer's black box of molecular secrets to reveal the biological vulnerabilities of the most complex human ailments, "The Emperor of All Maladies." Learn how their innovations gave rise to medical marvels that were once found only in the realm of science fiction, including engineered T cells (CAR-T), oncolytic viruses, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). These remarkable medicines are already providing long-term remissions lasting years, and even decades, for those patients fortunate enough to respond to them.
Compassionate and inspiring, accessible yet deeply informed,
Taming Cancer offers a rare insider's perspective on a half-century's progress in the fight against cancer. The author concludes with a hopeful vision of a future when cancer will be managed as a chronic disease, much like rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. For the most responsive patients, the eradication of cancer cells from the body-the "Holy Grail" of cancer research, the long-sought cure for cancer-will become a reality for increasing numbers of patients.
REVIEWS ARE AVAILABLE AT AMAZON AND GOODREADS For the past 35 years, I've been a biochemist and immunologist engaged in the development of biopharmaceutical drugs-proteins (such as antibodies), engineered immune cells, and even engineered viruses (it's in Chapter 14)-that target human diseases at the molecular level. During my career, I've had the great privilege of participating in the development of innovative medicines for cancer, hemophilia, anemia, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis that have been used by millions of people around the world. I was born and raised on Long Island and left home to pursue a B.S. in chemistry from Haverford College and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Duke University. I am currently the President of Shenandoah Biotechnology Consulting, LLC, in Charlottesville, VA, where I reside with my beloved wife Deb. This book is the product of a long and exhilarating career in the scientific trenches of the biopharmaceutical industry and a seemingly natural consequence of my lifelong preoccupation: biology and medicine. I wrote Taming Cancer to pay forward the privilege I had of working at the leading edge of cancer drug development and to send a message of hope to cancer patients and their families throughout the world.
Questions and/or comments are welcome at tamingcancerbook@gmail.com If you don't mind leaving an honest review, I would be grateful for the feedback!.
