Rebel Cell

Rebel Cell by Dr Kat Arney offers a compelling and fascinating exploration into the nature of cancer, presenting it as an inevitable consequence of complex life. In this deeply insightful and engaging work, Arney navigates the journey of cancer from its earliest origins billions of years ago to the cutting-edge treatments of today. She delves into ancient times, examining how this disease has preyed on various creatures throughout history, and traces the significant advancements in medical research that have steadily improved our understanding and treatment of cancer. This gripping narrative unravels the biological intricacies of cancer cells, providing a comprehensive understanding of why this disease exists and how we might eventually conquer it.

'A lively study of the Big C, which makes the case that cancer is the price we pay for our marvellously complicated bodies.' - The Times, Best Books of 2020

'This book is packed with big ideas about life. Every chapter has something in it which made me think wow. Having worked in a major cancer charity for many years, Arney writes with genuine in-depth understanding and is a perfect guide.' - Daniel M. Davis, author of The Beautiful Cure

'Rebel Cell is a bright, engaging read, fizzing with energy and metaphor. Kat Arney is a science writer for all of us - a powerful and talented story teller.' - Stephen McGann

'Kat's book is dynamite. A crystal clear reappraisal of the story behind that word we fear to mention.' - Dallas Campbell, author of Ad Astra: An Illustrated Guide to Leaving the Planet

Cancer has always been with us. It killed our hominid ancestors, the mammals they evolved from, and the dinosaurs that trampled the ground before that. Tumours grow in pets, livestock, and wild animals. Even tiny jelly-like Hydra—creatures that are little more than a tube full of water—can get cancer. Yet, despite this ancient pedigree, many of us think of cancer as a contemporary killer, a disease of our own making, born of our modern lifestyles. But that's not true. Although cancer might be rare in many species, it is the enemy lurking within almost every living creature. Why? Because cancer is a bug in the system of life. We get cancer because we can't not get it.

Cancer starts when cells revolt, shedding their molecular shackles, growing and dividing out of control in a shambolic mockery of normal life. This is why we can't avoid cancer: the very genes that drive it are essential for life itself. The revolution has raged, on and off, for millions of years. Only in the twentieth century did doctors and scientists make significant strides in understanding and treating cancer, and it's only in the past few decades that we've begun to kick the mob's malignant arse. Now the game is changing. Scientists have infiltrated cancer's cellular rebellion and are finally learning its secrets.

Geneticist and science writer Kat Arney takes the reader back to the dawn of life on planet Earth, right up to the present day, to get to the heart of what cancer really is and how, by better understanding it, we might one day overcome it. Blending expertise with compelling storytelling, Rebel Cell is a powerful examination of one of nature's most profound challenges, offering hope and a fresh perspective on the future of cancer research and treatment.