--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The (cancer) cells, technically speaking…" description: "\"“The (cancer) cells, technically speaking, are immortals. The woman from whose body they were once taken has been dead for thirty years”\" — Siddhartha ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_immortals_the-cancer-cells-technically-speaking-ar_2349477.png" --- # The (cancer) cells, technically speaking, are immortals… ![“The (cancer) cells, technically speaking, are immortals. The woman from whose body they were once taken has been dead for thirty years” quote by Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_immortals_the-cancer-cells-technically-speaking-ar_2349477.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_immortals_the-cancer-cells-technically-speaking-ar_2349477.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ea/siddhartha-mukherjee-1619_immortals_the-cancer-cells-technically-speaking-ar_2349477.png) > ““The (cancer) cells, technically speaking, are immortals. The woman from whose body they were once taken has been dead for thirty years”” [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cancer cells persist beyond the host, highlighting their biological immortality and the challenge of eradicating disease. **In simple terms:** Cancer cells live forever, outlasting their host. Key Takeaway Target the root of disease. Themes medicine biology longevity disease Mood thoughtful clinical Type scientific ethical When to use this quote - clinical research - patient counseling - public health policy - educational outreach Key Concepts cellular immortality oncology ethical dilemmas Questions to Reflect On - What ethical issues arise in extending cell life? - How can we balance treatment intensity with quality of life? A Different Perspective Eradicating cancer is complex and costly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Immortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortals/) ## Related quotes > [Down to their innate molecular core, cancer cells are hyperactive, survival-endowed, scrappy, fecund, inventive copies of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/down-to-their-innate-molecular-core-cancer-cells-are-hyperactive/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“Nothing is invented; nothing is extraneous. Cancer's life is a recapitulation of the body's life, its existence a pathological mirror of our own \[.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/nothing-is-invented-nothing-is-extraneous-cancer-s-life-is-a/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [Cancer's life is a recapitulation of the body's life, its existence a pathological mirror of our own. Susan Sontag warned against overburdening an illness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/cancer-s-life-is-a-recapitulation-of-the-body-s-life-its-existence-a-2/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [What we do in the laboratory is we try to design drugs that will not just eradicate cancer cells but will eradicate their homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/what-we-do-in-the-laboratory-is-we-try-to-design-drugs-that-will-not/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [Probably all of us have random rogue cancer cells floating around in our bodies but by and large, in the majority of cases, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-glimcher/probably-all-of-us-have-random-rogue-cancer-cells-floating-around-in/) [Laurie Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-glimcher/) > [“Cell division allows us as organisms to grow, to adapt, to recover, to repair—to live. 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Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [When in organism there are cancer cells, they have to be removed, not helped because they're "so young" and "so creative".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-korwin-mikke/when-in-organism-there-are-cancer-cells-they-have-to-be-removed-not/) [Janusz Korwin-Mikke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-korwin-mikke/) > [Cancer cells come pre-programmed to execute a well-defined cascade of changes, seemingly designed to facilitate both their enhanced survival and their dissemination through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/cancer-cells-come-pre-programmed-to-execute-a-well-defined-cascade-of/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Sex slows down the growth of cancer cells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sex-slows-down-the-growth-of-cancer-cells/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Saw a film on cancer yesterday, shown by the English delegation. No doubt about it. I'm right. "Migratory cancer cells" are amoebic formations. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-reich/saw-a-film-on-cancer-yesterday-shown-by-the-english-delegation-no/) [Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-reich/) ## More by Siddhartha Mukherjee > [Most days, I go home and I feel rejuvenated. I feel ebullient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/most-days-i-go-home-and-i-feel-rejuvenated-i-feel-ebullient/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“A note of caution: epigenetics is also on the verge of transforming into a dangerous idea. 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And testing the theory on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/but-the-pigs-seventy-pounds-of-porcine-weight-that-did-not-take/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“One of the four genes used by Yamanaka to reverse cellular fate is called c-myc. Myc, the rejuvenating factor, is no ordinary gene: it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/one-of-the-four-genes-used-by-yamanaka-to-reverse-cellular-fate-is/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [A breast cancer might turn out to have a close resemblance to a gastric cancer. And this kind of reorganization of cancer in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-breast-cancer-might-turn-out-to-have-a-close-resemblance-to-a/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [“But in 1960, oncology was not yet ready for this proposal. 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To name an illness is to describe a certain condition of suffering—a literary act before it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/even-an-ancient-monster-needs-a-name-to-name-an-illness-is-to/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) [Explore all 213 Siddhartha Mukherjee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) ## More Immortals quotes > [Soon all of you immortals Will be as dead as we are! Come on then, what are you waiting for? Have you run out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/soon-all-of-you-immortals-will-be-as-dead-as-we-are-come-on-then-what/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Compete with the immortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/compete-with-the-immortals/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Happier are all men than the dwellers in Faerie – or the gods, for that matter…Better a life like a falling star, bright across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-anderson/happier-are-all-men-than-the-dwellers-in-faerie-or-the-gods-for-that/) [Poul Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-anderson/) > [“They all seem infected with a vivaciousness that isn't common in our compound, and there are more smiles on their faces than I've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/they-all-seem-infected-with-a-vivaciousness-that-isn-t-common-in-our/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) > [Immortals are, by definition, immortal. End of story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/immortals-are-by-definition-immortal-end-of-story/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Its substance was known to me. The crawling infinity of colours, the chaos of textures that went into each strand of that eternally complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/its-substance-was-known-to-me-the-crawling-infinity-of-colours-the/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [“Behind me, Eaden cleared his throat. “Rachel?” He was holding open the door of a sleek, tiny black sports car, the kind I didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-bell/behind-me-eaden-cleared-his-throat-rachel-he-was-holding-open-the/) Georgia Bell > [“All over the lawn, the immortals had begun to wither and decompose, creating little pockets of chaos among the guests.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-over-the-lawn-the-immortals-had-begun-to-wither-and-decompose/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [A man is not completely born until he is dead. Why then should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-man-is-not-completely-born-until-he-is-dead-why-then-should-we/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Love is nothing more than elevated levels of dopamine, nor-epinephrine, and other chemicals. But the way Uncle Antionio's face lights up as they dance...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/love-is-nothing-more-than-elevated-levels-of-dopamine-nor-epinephrine/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) > ['Immortals' was very much a martial arts based training program - a lot of body weight stuff, very little in the way of actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/immortals-was-very-much-a-martial-arts-based-training-program-a-lot/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [Don't bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of immortals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/don-t-bunt-aim-out-of-the-ball-park-aim-for-the-company-of-immortals/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [“She was the only thing that kept him sane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-duvall/she-was-the-only-thing-that-kept-him-sane/) [Dianne Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-duvall/) > [“It’s unknown to the common human being that most of the characters in fairy tales are real immortals living among us. Some of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-jace/it-s-unknown-to-the-common-human-being-that-most-of-the-characters-in/) [Cameron Jace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-jace/) > [“I could not do this, I realized, if I were immortal. This degree of love of life and of one another is granted, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/i-could-not-do-this-i-realized-if-i-were-immortal-this-degree-of-love/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) [Browse all 94 Immortals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The (cancer) cells, technically speaking, are immortals. 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