Paradoxes in Carcinogenesis: There Is Light at the End of That Tunnel!

Abstract

The exchange of opinions motivated by Dr. Baker's article "Paradoxes in carcinogenesis should spur new avenues of research: An historical perspective" illustrates the reasons why the field of cancer research is stuck in a dead end. This paralysis presents a rich opportunity for philosophers, historians and sociologists of science to decipher the whys of this impasse. On the strictly biological front, we suggest to reinstate in cancer research the time proven practice so productive in the physical sciences of discarding wrong hypotheses and theories. We share the suggestion by Dr. Baker to stop trying to unify the two main theories of carcinogenesis, i.e., the Somatic Mutation Theory (SMT) and the Tissue Organization Field Theory (TOFT) because they are incompatible. Dr. Baker suggests breaching the impasse by investing in paradox-driven research. We discuss the barriers to the implementation of this novel strategy, and the significant impact that this strategy will have on knowledge at large and its application for the prevention and cure of cancer.