VIEWPOINT | Anatomical variations pose inherent challenge in comprehending cancer
Guest column by Ethan L. Snow
Human anatomy is fascinatingly and frustratingly complex.
In each body, 600 muscles, 206 bones and 360 joints provide structural stability and movement; two lungs circulate air through 1,500 miles of airways to 480,000,000 alveoli with every breath; one heart circulates 5–6 liters of blood through 60,000 miles of vessels every 30 seconds; 600 lymph nodes activate the immune system and filter foreign invaders (e.g., bacteria, viruses), cellular debris and cancer cells coursing through 100,000 miles of lymphatic vessels; and the list continues.
As human anatomy applies to clinical medicine, some concepts are fundamentally more conceivable than others. For example, if an individual breaks a bone, they can often logically identify the etiology, understand the inhibited function and realize the immediate need for urgent care. A radiologist would then localize and visualize the fracture, and an orthopedic surgeon would reduce and fix the bone.
