Jana Šmardová

What Tumors Teach Us

Parallels in Cell and Human Behavior

Cancer. A disease that has accompanied mankind since ancient times. But while other diseases are under control and effective drugs have been found, cancer is still waiting for a major breakthrough in treatment. The reason for this lies in the complexity of this disease and its dynamics. Anyone interested in the nature of cancer should read the book What Tumors Teach Us. Here you will find an explanation that is scientifically accurate and at the same time understandable to a wide readership, thanks to the elegant and precise language of the author Prof. Jana Šmardová and the rich illustrations by Dr. Jana Koptíková. For inquisitive readers interested in the broader context of cancer, the book offers another original dimension, which the author calls „overlaps“. Each of the characteristics that distinguishes a tumor cell from a healthy cell and disrupts the harmonious coexistence of cells in the organism has a pathological cause. The author describes these causes in detail and looks for analogies in other systems, including the system of human society. She encourages the reader to reflect on whether many of the ills of our current civilization arise from the violation of the same rules of successful coexistence that we have come to know at the cellular level through tumors.