Skillfully blending two centuries of scientific discovery with the latest breakthroughs in 21st-century biology, a biochemist, cancer drug developer, and former Executive Director at Amgen delivers a compelling and accessible road map to immunotherapy and the other seemingly miraculous medicines that are driving a dramatic shift in how we treat human cancer: The toxic and destructive chemotherapies that have long been the mainstays of treatment are being supplanted by new classes of precision medicines that target cancer at its molecular roots and stimulate the immune system to seek out and destroy tumors.

Come along on a journey of scientific discovery and meet a cast of characters both famous and obscure, whose groundbreaking contributions have torn the lid off of cancer’s black box of molecular secrets, revealing the biological vulnerabilities of “The Emperor of All Maladies,” the most complex and perplexing of human ailments. Learn how their innovations gave rise to medical marvels that were once found only in the realm of science fiction, including engineered T cells (CAR-T), oncolytic viruses, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). These remarkable medicines are already providing long-term remissions lasting years, and even decades, for those patients fortunate enough to respond to them.

Compassionate and inspiring, accessible yet deeply informed, Taming Cancer offers a rare insider’s perspective on a half-century of progress in the fight against cancer. The author concludes with a hopeful vision of a future when cancer will be managed as a chronic disease, much like rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes. For the most responsive patients, the eradication of cancer cells from the body—the “Holy Grail” of cancer research, the long-sought cure for cancer—will become a reality for increasing numbers of patients.