James P. Allison

Yeah, that's not totally universal, but generally it's true that the tumors become, as they progress, become less and less stable. And so the idea of having a magic bullet that can attack it at its source is really... Yeah. Was... not unreasonable and it was impossible to even think of doing anything about it until we had genomic sequencing, which we do now.

Yeah, that's not totally universal, but generally it's true that the tumors become, as they progress, become less and less stable. And so the idea of having a magic bullet that can attack it at its source is really... Yeah. Was... not unreasonable and it was impossible to even think of doing anything about it until we had genomic sequencing, which we do now.

But now we know it's probably not going to be. It's certainly worth doing because it can prolong life. I, as an immunologist, tend to look at things differently because So the tumor biologists who take the classical tumor biology view of cancer would say, oh, well, you've got that mutation. Let's attack it and we'll be done. So we should concentrate on what's going on there.

But now we know it's probably not going to be. It's certainly worth doing because it can prolong life. I, as an immunologist, tend to look at things differently because So the tumor biologists who take the classical tumor biology view of cancer would say, oh, well, you've got that mutation. Let's attack it and we'll be done. So we should concentrate on what's going on there.

On the other hand, so there's lots of mutations. The mutations really occur pretty much randomly. It's when they hit, you know, so they've got to hit. generally a couple of genes before you've got problems, a couple of very types of genes that are very specific. But the other ones, the cancer biologists say, oh, well, those are irrelevant.

On the other hand, so there's lots of mutations. The mutations really occur pretty much randomly. It's when they hit, you know, so they've got to hit. generally a couple of genes before you've got problems, a couple of very types of genes that are very specific. But the other ones, the cancer biologists say, oh, well, those are irrelevant.

They're passengers, so they're not important because they're not drivers. The immune system, on the other hand, you know, trained as an immunologist, your immune system, its purpose is to find things that shouldn't be there.

They're passengers, so they're not important because they're not drivers. The immune system, on the other hand, you know, trained as an immunologist, your immune system, its purpose is to find things that shouldn't be there.

They don't care what they do. That shouldn't be on my cells. That cell may have a virus in it and I'm gonna kill it. And so then you look at it that way and those mutations which the cancer biologists are not important because they're not the drivers. They're equally important to the immune system. The immune system doesn't know the difference. It just knows there's something different here.

They don't care what they do. That shouldn't be on my cells. That cell may have a virus in it and I'm gonna kill it. And so then you look at it that way and those mutations which the cancer biologists are not important because they're not the drivers. They're equally important to the immune system. The immune system doesn't know the difference. It just knows there's something different here.

We better get rid of that guy.

We better get rid of that guy.

Yeah, well, evolutionarily, you know, it's all evolution. And unless it takes you out before you reproduce, evolution doesn't care. You know, if you get cancer when you're 50, evolution doesn't care. Right.

Yeah, well, evolutionarily, you know, it's all evolution. And unless it takes you out before you reproduce, evolution doesn't care. You know, if you get cancer when you're 50, evolution doesn't care. Right.

No, I wish we did. Maybe they have a really good immune system. I doubt it.

No, I wish we did. Maybe they have a really good immune system. I doubt it.

Yeah, that's true. I guess elephants don't, as far as I know, elephants don't get cancer very often. But then again, maybe they're not exposed to carcinogens like we are.

Yeah, that's true. I guess elephants don't, as far as I know, elephants don't get cancer very often. But then again, maybe they're not exposed to carcinogens like we are.

Yeah, not so good for the mice, but...

Yeah, not so good for the mice, but...