A Mystery Wrapped in an Enigma

Abstract

Biochemistry is the darkest recess of cancer research. Less is known about the biochemistry of malignant cells and about differences between malignant and healthy cells, perhaps, than about any other aspect of cancer research. To a great extent, this situation reflects the very small amount of knowledge that is available about the biochemical processes that ensure that the division of healthy cells is halted at an appropriate time. Many biochemists therefore think, according to James D. Watson of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York City, that now is not the time to work seriously on the biochemistry of cancer cells: “They argue that, even though cancer cells are the cause of enormous human suffering, nonetheless it does not make sense to put a disproportionate share of our scientific effort into trying to meet an unripe scientific challenge. They compare the current situation with the desire to understand the nature of solar energy at the time of Newton.”