This detailed volume gathers a comprehensive collection of methods, protocols, and procedures used for the identification, characterization, and selection of cancer stem cells. These include surface marker expression, side population, spheres formation, ALDH activity, and numerous others. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and expert tips and troubleshooting advice to avoid potential pitfalls. Comprehensive and practical, Cancer Stem Cells: Methods and Protocols provides researchers with the techniques they will need in order to pursue vital research into this complex field of study.

This book discusses computer-supported medical diagnosis with a particular focus on ovarian tumor diagnosis - since ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose and has high mortality rates, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. It presents the theoretical foundations (both medical and mathematical) of the intelligent OvaExpert system, which supports decision-making in tumor diagnosis. OvaExpert was created primarily to help gynecologists predict the malignancy of ovarian tumors by applying the existing diagnostic models and using modern methods of computational intelligence that accommodate imprecise and imperfect medical data, both of which are common features of everyday medical practice. The book presents novel methods based on interval-valued fuzzy sets and the theory of their cardinalities.

This volume provides a comprehensive treatise on the latest studies linking prostate cancer with energy balance, which together constitute a major challenge and opportunity for research scientists and clinicians especially those dealing with the expanding population of older men confronted with obesity and associated comorbidities. This volume should be a valuable resource to physicians, oncologists, urologists, endocrinologists, nurses, nutritionists, dieticians, and exercise therapists dealing with men with energy balance issues and/or questions regarding the linkage between energy balance and cancer. Moreover, this volume should serve as an important resource for cancer researchers especially for scientists studying lifestyle modification and prevention strategies to better understand and disrupt the linkage between obesity and cancer.

This text is designed to present a comprehensive and state-of the-art approach to the management of breast cancer within the fields of surgery, medical oncology, and radiation oncology. Sections address changes in these fields. These areas include breast imaging, management of the axilla, atypical breast lesions, surgical margins, new techniques in breast reconstruction, and nipple sparing and contralateral mastectomies. Subsequent chapters focus on issues in medical oncology including, triple negative breast cancer and metastatic breast disease. New paradigms in radiation oncology are examined. Breast cancer treatment in the elderly and in young women, and genetic risk in breast cancer management is also be discussed. Written by experts in their field, each of these sections addresses advances and changes in the field. A brief review of the existing literature addressing the particular topic follows in each section. The text concludes with chapters on pathological issues and advances in radiation oncology. As access to a comprehensive multidisciplinary resource such as this is currently limited in the literature, Changing Paradigms in the Management of Breast Cancer represents the first single source to provide information on advances and outcomes for the physician caring for breast cancer patients in a multidisciplinary setting.

This volume details standard techniques for the characterization of urothelial carcinoma as well as methods to investigate mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Chapters guide readers on cellular and animal models for urothelial carcinoma and related diseases, molecular analyses from body fluids, and new approaches to therapy. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Urothelial Carcinoma: Methods and Protocols hopes that the techniques described in this volume will contribute to the current upturn in research on urothelial carcinoma and to the application of its results in clinical practice.

This volume will be the first to provide a comprehensive description of tumor dormancy. It will define the clinical and biological aspects of this phenomenon, as well as the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with tumor dormancy. Chapters will be authored by world-renewed experts who are conducting cutting-edge research in the field. A unique feature will be a conclusive paragraph detailing future development and foreseeable clinical applications at the end of each chapter. The volume will serve as a fundamental instrument for every researcher and clinician interested in the field of tumor dormancy as well as a means of disseminating stimulating concepts and prompting the development of innovative technological solutions.

This volume focuses on virus-host cell interactions, cellular genes acquired or modulated by viruses, the pathological effects of these interactions, and therapeutic interventions. Several chapters specifically address the role of viruses and genes - such as oncogenes, proto-oncogenes, or tumor suppressor genes - in the etiology of human cancer. Oncogenic signaling by PI3 kinase, mTOR, Akt, or the major cancer drivers MYC and RAF, and the role of tumor suppressors like p53, are discussed in detail. The volume also explores the emerging role of noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs in tumorigenesis and cancer therapeutics, and offers new insights into the role of HIV-host interactions relevant to pathogenesis and treatment. Gathering contributions written by leading scientists in their respective fields, the volume offers a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians alike.

This volume explores various approaches for enrichment, detection, isolation, and molecular profiling of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Each chapter provides comprehensive descriptions and guidelines on how to perform innovative experiments in CTC research. Included are protocols for capture of CTCs via filtration and density gradient centrifugation; microfluidic and immunomagnetic separation of CTCs; detection of CTCs by immunocytochemistry, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and flow cytometry; assays designed for genomic characterization and functional analyses of CTCs, and many more. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, the chapters in this book include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and authoritative, Circula ting Tumor Cells: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for laboratory researchers and clinicians who are interested in furthering their studies on CTCs.

This volume provides an overview on the influence of Extracellular Matrix (ECM) on tumor progression. It covers topics such as signaling induced by structural ECM proteins including collagen and fibronectin, the control of ECM deposition and the turnover in tumors. Also discussed are the migration of cells through basement membranes and the function of proteoglycans including lumican and veriscan in tumor progression. Biomaterial-based in-vitro models as well as C. elegans models of the tumor microenvironment are used to show how these models can lead to a greater understanding of the disease mechanisms that promote cancer progression. The book addresses researchers working on cancer biology or ECM, and oncologists alike.

This volume evaluates the clinical patterns of resistance to sorafenib, the impact of trial design in the second-line setting and the current gold standard to define radiological resistance; describes the molecular mechanisms responsible for treatment resistance in HCC patients, including components of the immune system and tumor microenvironment; determines the role of the cancer stem cell phenotype in resistance; reviews the experimental models to study resistance; and addresses new approaches to overcome resistance to sorafenib, using successful examples from other malignancies.

This volume describes up-to-date techniques used in understanding the molecular biology of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and addressing advances in diagnosis, classification, prognostication, and therapeutic strategies to potentially impact overall patient survival. The chapters in this book cover topics such as: cytochemical staining, single-cell mass cytometry of AML and Leukemia stem/progenitor cells, microsphere-based assessment of DNA methylation for AML prognosis, a zebrafish model for evaluating the function of human leukemic gene IDH1 and its mutation, and the isolation of biologically active exosomes from plasma of patients with cancer. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and practical, Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for scientists and researchers to further their studies and advancements in the field of AML.

This volume focuses on the laboratory and clinical experience with targeting viral onco-antigens, while also reviewing the approaches to targeting self-cancer antigens in cancers of non-viral origin, where self-tolerance has been a challenge. It emphasizes the importance of selecting the right vaccine platform to induce a successful immune response against cancer antigens. In addition, the volume discusses the advances made with genetic vaccines, including recent advances with DNA vaccines and the rapid transition of mRNA vaccines from the laboratory to bedside. The new avenues opening up for cancer immunotherapy underline the importance of combinational approaches using cancer vaccines with costimulatory antibodies, which may dramatically improve cancer treatment. This book is intended for all translational researchers and clinicians who aspire to develop novel vaccination approaches for cancer patients with unmet clinical needs.

Leading researchers are specially invited to provide a complete understanding of a key topic within the multidisciplinary fields of physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. In a form immediately useful to scientists, this periodical aims to filter, highlight and review the latest developments in these rapidly advancing fields.

This volume provides the current understanding of death receptor's/TLR3 signaling regulation in cancer. Death receptors, including TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2, Fas and TNF-RI, owing to their ability to trigger apoptosis and to contribute to the elimination of cancer cells by the immune system have been considered, to variable extent, as important therapeutic targets for cancer therapy. But an increasing body of evidence suggests that some of these receptors may also contribute to tumorigenesis, or that new players such as TLR3 may be targeted for cancer therapy due to their ability to behave like death receptors.

The book will explain previously unconnected clinical data such as why mammography works better for women age 50-59 than it does for women age 40-49, why adjuvant chemotherapy works best for premenopausal patients with positive lymph nodes, and it may also explain the racial disparity in outcome. In particular, it points to the perioperative period when systemic inflammation persists for a week or so. This can lead to a variety of mechanisms whereby single cancer cells (perhaps from the marrow) begin division and angiogenesis of dormant avascular micrometastases occurs leading to early relapses. With chapters presented from distinguished scientists and physicians in a variety of specialties that relate to and border the effects we present, this volume can be used as a reference for practicing physicians and as a jumping-off point for researchers to explore new therapeutic opportunities.

This book provides a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the many facets relating to human health risk assessments in relation to chemical exposure problems. It presents some very important tools and methodologies that can be used to address chemical exposure and public health risk management problems in a consistent, efficient, and cost-effective manner. On the whole, the book represents a collection and synthesis of the principal elements of the risk assessment process that may be used to more effectively address issues pertaining to human exposures to chemicals found in modern societies. This also includes an elaboration of pertinent risk assessment concepts and techniques/methodologies for performing human health risk assessments. Written for both the novice and the experienced, the subject matter of this book is an attempt at offering a simplified and systematic presentation of public health risk assessment methods and application tools - all these facilitated by a layout that will carefully navigate the user through the major processes involved. A number of illustrative example problems are interspersed throughout the book, in order to help present the book in an easy-to-follow, pragmatic manner.

Treatment of Cancer is a multi-author work and comprehensive guide on modern cancer treatment that aims to give clinician and student alike the framework for an integrated approach to patient care, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Much information is presented in tables and charts for easy assimilation, and clear algorithms for patient pathways are included to make decisions straightforward while allowing for sound clinical judgement.

This book critically evaluates the causal link between cell division machinery and disease. Further, it identifies key open questions in the field and the means for exploring them. Throughout the various chapters, internationally known contributors present the evidence for and against a causal link between key elements of the cell division machinery and diseases such as cancer, neuropathologies, aging, and infertility. A more clinically oriented chapter further discusses the current and future applications of anti-mitotic drugs in these diseases. Cell Division Machinery and Disease is essential reading for graduate or advanced graduate students, researchers or scientists working on cell division as well as clinicians interested in the molecular mechanisms of the discussed diseases.

In his research, David Dannheisig investigates the influence of lysine129 acetylation on the biological function of survivin including alteration of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling as well as dimerization behavior. Since survivin participates in two major hallmarks of oncogenesis, namely cell death inhibition and chromosomal segregation during the cell cycle, it reflects a valuable target in cancer therapy and research. The author establishes proximity-dependent, fluorescence-microscopic methods to quantify the interaction of survivin with the export receptor Crm1 as well as the homodimerization itself. In the future, those systems can be used to examine the feasible effect of chemical modulators which are targeting these interactions in a cellular background. The outcome achieved is an essential step towards the enhancement of potential cancer therapies.

The present volume of Epigenetics and Human Health is devoted to the patho-epigenetics of viral and microbial infections, an exiting new field of disease-related epigenetic research. As recognized during the past years, epigenetic reprogramming of pathogen and host genome functions - the latter frequently induced by pathogens - plays an important role in many infectious processes. Beyond their immediate relevance for pathogen proliferation and obligatorily associated symptoms, such alterations frequently contribute to severe additional complications, such as the development of immunodeficiency, cancer and various chronic disorders. This holds in particular for epigenetic dysregulation of host gene expression induced by latent infections. The present book summarizes current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying epigenetic changes caused by viral, bacterial, fungal and protozoan infections and their impact on human health.

Numerous studies have shown that elevated levels of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood of cancer patients are associated with poor response to treatment and inferior survival probabilities. Despite this clinical significance, the molecular biology of CTCs remains poorly understood. The paucity in molecular information can be attributed to the tremendous technical challenges involved in isolating these extremely rare cells. Recent technological advancements in rare-cell technology, however, have allowed for the reliable enrichment and isolation of CTCs. Consequently, the use of recently developed molecular approaches -e.g., multiplexed QPCR, microarray, and next generation sequencing analyses- to profile CTCs have provided novel insights into the molecular makeup of these tumor cells. This book discusses approaches for enrichment and isolation of CTCs as well as recent advances in comprehensive molecular profiling of CTCs using cutting-edge omics technology.

Interleukins in Cancer Biology responds to the growing need for credible and up-to-date information about the impact of interleukins on occurrence, development and progression of cancer. It provides reliable information about all known interleukins (38), describes recent discoveries in the field, and moreover, suggests further directions of research on the most promising aspects of this topic. The structure and presentation of the work is very understandable and clear with attention to detail maintained throughout. There are multiple illustrations throughout to help in comprehending and remembering the most important facts. .

This book will provide an overview of how to manage patients with lymphoma in the format of a series of engaging case studies. Lymphomas are cancers that originate in the lymphatic system. There are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These lymphomas comprise various subtypes with prognosis and treatment depending on the stage and type of the cancer. Lymphoma is a major global health problem; non-Hodgkin lymphoma in particular is the tenth most common type of cancer worldwide. In response to this there have been a number of significant advances in the available treatment options for lymphoma with new breakthrough drugs being approved or registered for approval. In light of this, this case study book will be an extremely timely guide for all hematologists, oncologists, and healthcare professionals wishing to keep up-to-date with these recent developments. The format of this book is also particularly appealing as it offer readers a practical approach to the clinical management of patients with these conditions as suggested by leading physicians from the City of Hope National Medical Center in California, USA in an era of vast therapeutic development.

This volume gives a state-of-the-art overview on macrophage functions in various invertebrate and vertebrate systems and diseases. It also covers various aspects of macrophage development and formation, behavior and response to nano- and biomaterials, the latter of which have become very important components of modern medicine. Macrophages are evolutionarily conserved phagocytotic cells. In recent years macrophages have emerged as one of the most versatile cells of immune system, which, depending on the milieu and circumstance, participate in development or inhibition of cancer, regeneration, wound healing, inflammation, organ rejection and interaction between mother and a fetus. This book will be of particular interest to researchers working in immunology, cancer research, developmental biology, or related fields.

A Personal History of Nuclear Medicine is an account of how nuclear medicine developed, and its basic philosophy in the past, present and future. The book outlines the history of the development of nuclear medicine as experienced by the author and describes the hurdles that nuclear medicine has had to face, in view of the perception of risk of radiation. It also explains how nuclear medicine solves medical problems in clinical practice and how it has contributed to a new definition of disease. The book concludes with future projections of the likely developments in this area in the next 50 years. Target market: nuclear medicine professionals as well non-nuclear medicine physicians and the public