Epilogue: What we don't know about cancer

Despite billions of dollars expended since the "war on cancer" was declared mole than 25 years ago, cancer continues to be a leading cause of death wo rldwide, and its precise pathogenesis remains elusive. Moreover, current tr eatments, even when successful, are grounded in extensive operations, high energy irradiation, and toxic chemotherapy, which carry substantial short- and long-term sequelae. It is, therefore, appropriate to reconsider current concepts of cancer cancer biology in terms of the vast ignorance that surr ounds this ancient scourge. A om the perspective of a Curriculum on Medical Ignorance, this epilogue surveys questions raised by authors of this monog raph, other experts, and patients afflicted with cancel and related disorde rs. Further the focus is on basic biological clinical, and societal implica tions of carcinogenesis theories as well as the nature and process of scien tific inquiry in the context of the general phenomenon of ignorance in medi cine.