The False Mirror of Life: The Main Myths About Cancer and Modern Science’s Perspective on Them

Few human health conditions are surrounded by as many myths and speculations as cancer. Many of these myths seem to be remnants of actual scientific theories that have been distorted beyond recognition through the “oral tradition” of rumors and tales. The author of the book, molecular biologist Maria Kondratova, who works at the Institut Curie in Paris, aims to separate fact from fiction and provide her readers with an accessible yet scientific understanding of cancer’s nature and contemporary approaches to its diagnosis and treatment. Molecular oncology is an impressive example of how fundamental scientific knowledge about genome structure and cellular regulation systems is transformed into drugs and diagnostic methods that save thousands of lives. Despite the obviously dramatic nature of the subject, the book is not about suffering and death. It is about life in all its complexity, fragility, and beauty.

Moscow: Alpina Non-Fiction, 2019.