The Breakthrough
Charles Graeber
A few months ago I watched a video on YouTube about activating T cells, which helps in the fight against Cancer. Frankly, I understood little and was left with many questions. But a word Immunotherapy from the video remained with me. So when I saw the same word on the book The Breakthrough by Charles Graeber, it immediately caught my attention. In an instant I knew, I have to read this book.
"It seemed to me then, and still does, that such build-in immunologic mechanism ought to exist for natural defense against cancer in humans" - Lewis Thomas
For Layman
The Breakthrough traces the history of Immunotherapy, some exciting revelation about the immune system, doubts around this treatment, the prolonged struggle of scientists and researchers to keep the flame of research in this field going, heartfelt success stories of cancer treatment through immunotherapy and a flash of hope that cancer is treatable and the key lies within our body.
This book has been purely written for the quick understanding of laymen about this alternative cancer treatment and the newest advances in immunological research.
Charles Graeber has fine tuned many technical and microbiology terms in simple language.
Our Immune System
The best part of the book was the fascinating way of describing our immune system. It felt like an entire brigade of the army is at work. Patrolling nonstop for 24 hours protecting the body from every possible attack.
Without a doubt, The Breakthrough has enhanced my understanding of the body's protective mechanism. It has been written in the most vivid manner.
I am in complete awe thinking how much happens inside our body. We abuse our body in so many ways and still manage to carry on because of the sophisticated and elegantly designed ever evolving and adapting internal structure of our body.
The book traces revelation about an extremely important question which troubled and confused the scientists and researchers for years - why our immune system drops all their bullets and missiles and accepts defeat, most of the time, without a fight against the Cancer cells?
Charles Graeber has written in details about those tipping and eureka moments when scientists and researchers found the missing pieces of information about our immune system which actually became the base of the immunotherapy treatment.
Towards the end or last couple of chapters the book becomes a little tedious to read because you can't draw conclusions. The result of research is couraging but the treatment expenses couldn’t be afforded by many.
The Verdict
Overall, I learned a great deal from the book. Four of my dear family members suffered and expired due to this disease. As a consequence, I am forever on lookout for more information on Cancer. And this book greatly enhanced my knowledge, not only about various treatment options now available for cancer, but also on workology of our immune system.
