Probably the most important reason we are seeing more cancers than before is because the population is ageing overall. And cancer is an age-related disease.

I wanted to explore cancer not just biologically, but metaphorically. The idea that tuberculosis in the 19th century possessed the same kind of frightening and decaying quality was very interesting to me, and it seemed that one could explore the idea that every age defined its own illness.

Postwar U.S. was the world's leader in science and technology. The investment in science research was staggering.

When you immerse yourself in medicine you realise that hope is not absolute. It's not that simple.

Down to their innate molecular core, cancer cells are hyperactive, survival-endowed, scrappy, fecund, inventive copies of ourselves.

I believe the biggest breakthroughs on cancer could come from brilliant researchers based in India.

If there's a seminal discovery in oncology in the last 20 years, it's that idea that cancer genes are often mutated versions of normal genes.