Theoretical oncology-Declaration
The term theoretical oncology was first used by Professor Józef Laskowski who tried to explain the process of cancer occurrence using the system of concepts developed by embryology. As a starting point, he took a common feature shared by the foetus and the lump: fast growth. Laskowski also pointed to analogies between a wide range of histopathological phenomena in the embryo and those found in malignancies of various organs.
This theory has in many cases proved inconsistent with scientifically established facts. However, it has retained its inspiring power as an attempt to explain carcinogeneity with the use of the system of concepts offered by embryology. It was also the first effort to make a synthesis of fragmentary data gathered by various scientific disciplines in order to explain the origin of cancer. And it was the first attempt to integrate concepts. Built on the pathologist's approach as a foundation, the theory did not discard the embryologist's approach.
We are currently witnessing a flood of cancer information. But sciences tend to use diversified systems of concepts and often their cognitive context is also diversified.
Advanced specialisation restricts and, quite often, rules out communication between various groups of researchers. This is a real big communication problem of scientists, medical doctors, persons at cancer risk, and cancer patients. And this situation has an impact on the sphere of cancer research development and on its ethical sphere as well.
Cancer knowledge needs to be sorted out using a more universal key which, no doubt, exists but has not been discovered yet.
The approach to theoretical oncology we are proposing here is, by its nature, a reflection and, in a way, a kind of cancer philosophy. This will, perhaps, place theoretical oncology within the scope of philosophical approach to cancer disease. We believe, the principal task in this approach is to explore the reflection on the essence and sense of world-wide cancer epidemics in all its aspects and with a special focus on the fates of a human being.
Theoretical oncology draws on from the diversified contexts of cancer knowledge offered by scientific disciplines to describe, as adequately as possible, the phenomenon of cancer in the history of man.
The principal tool is what the authors describe as a phenomenological
method using a three-tier approach to the problem:
1) reflection-experience
2) understanding
3) explanation
Within the phenomenological reflection, we are going to use analogy, comparison, and systematization based on the logical principles of causative thinking as one of the components of the phenomenon's description, not as a superior component. This angle of view allows observation of all contexts from "a side" and investigation of their natural links.
The idea to allowi the cancer phenomenon to "explain itself" without taking to intellectual violence of "thinking in models" will help to grasp the crux and sense of the neoplastic disease by way of increasing the investigator's "sensitivity."
The main point of reference for this multi-directional approach to the disease is a person suffering from cancer with the full biological, philosopshical, and spiritual context of the fact.
This approach to theoretical oncology-thanks to its cognitive openness-will allow a synthesis of the phenomenon itself and its experience. Then, a better understanding of their essence and sense will be at hand.
Authors:
Wiktor Chmielarczyk-a medical doctor, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre-Institute of Oncology,
Andrzej Pruszyński-a physicist, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre-Institute of Oncology,
Paweł Maciejko-a philosopher, Warsaw University
Warsaw, February 22, 2002.
