Ovarian Cancer. Why did you write the Fere Ex Nihilo book?

The answer is very simple, I wanted to publish my theory about how ovarian cancer develops. This theory is based on three points: 1- Most cases of ovarian cancer start in the ovary bc this organ has some abnormalities. 2- The tumors emulate the development of the Mullerian tract. They start by mesenchymal-epithelial transformation which is induced by hormones. 3- At least at the beginning, the lesions are multicentric.

I could not publish my theory about how ovarian cancer starts in regular journals. I believe that the main reason for this is  the blind authority of some reviewers that creates "Eminence" based medicine. Some reviewers cannot accept a new concept contrary to their beliefs.

I have been working in academic medicine for 47 years and often I become disappointed about the peer review system. The best part of pathology is when we establish a  dialogue with the tissue and based on this new ideas are born; however, first they have to receive the approval of reviewers. Here the problem starts. Why do reviewers cannot be "consultants" with an open mind? we could advance faster.

1- There are numerous examples of rejections of important new concepts:

    - In the 60's Dr Jim Butler proposed a new type of Hodgkin's disease: The 

       nodular sclerosing type.

    I have experienced rejections trying to publish:

    - The binary grading of serous carcinoma.

    - The concept of dedifferentiation in endometrial cancer.

2- Some of the comments made by reviewers are difficult to accept. Some examples:

     - Paper: "Using mass spectrometry, 86 hormones were analyzed"

        Reviewer: "How were the hormones analyzed"

     - Paper: "Control patients did not have ovarian, endometrial, or breast neoplasms"

      -Reviewer: "Were the control patients without cancer?"

      -Paper: "The nulligravidity rates were similar in the two groups" (refers to low and high-grade carcinoma)

      - Reviewer: "What does gravity have to do with the topic of this paper?"

The journals have a chief editor and several associate editors, nobody sees this? And, of course, the rejection letter says that we should not send the paper back questioning the review.

3- There are numerous examples of retraction of papers that have been accepted, where the reviewers did not notice a very significant issue.Some are related to conflict of interest, or with doctored images or data.

My choices were to publish in journals online only, or to write a book. Several of the journals online only  are predatory journals, they charge for the publication, sometimes US $ 5,000.00 Obviously, this is not only to cover the expenses. I will never pay to publish something in medicine, I believe this is the beginning of corruption which should not exist in medicine. These journals are peer reviewed, therefore nobody can question the articles. I have some examples in the book about how they go around to "make" the articles legit.  

These are the reasons why I have decided to write the Fere Ex Nihilo book.

Periodically, I will include in this blog a summary of the chapters.