The combination of molecular biology, engineering and bioinformatics has revolutionized our understanding of cancer revealing a tight correlation of the molecular characteristics of the primary tumor in terms of gene expression, structural alterations of the genome, epigenetics and mutations with its propensity to metastasize and to respond to therapy. It is not just one or a few genes, it is the complex alteration of the genome that determines cancer development and progression. Future management of cancer patients will therefore rely on thorough molecular analyses of each single case. Through this book, students, researchers and oncologists will obtain a comprehensive picture of what the first ten years of cancer genomics have revealed. Experts in the field describe, cancer by cancer, the progress made and its implications for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer. The deep impact on the clinics and the challenge for future translational research become evident.

The purpose of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Advances in Pediatric Oncology for the Cancer Treatment and Research Series is to provide an up-to-date summary of how recent advances in cancer research are being applied to the care of children with solid tumors. The interface of cancer research with clinical practice in pediatric oncology has never been more intimate than today. While researchers are identifying oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes and are studying their specific functions, clinicians are using knowledge of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes for diagnosing cancer in children, for therapeutic decision-making purposes, and for prognostic purposes. The first three chapters in this book describe models for understanding the causes of childhood cancer that were perhaps initially identified by clinicians and that are now being studied and understood by researchers. These chapters will describe research evidence that supports roles for the involvement of normal developmental regulatory genes in childhood oncogenesis, of abnormal immune regulation in childhood oncogenesis, and of heredity in childhood oncogenesis. The next eight chapters are devoted to descriptions of the appli cation of new research developments to clinical practice with reference to the most common forms of solid tumors of childhood outside the central nervous system. The final chapter will describe late effects of childhood cancer and its therapy and the impact research is having on understanding and perhaps preventing these late effects.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a promising therapeutic approach for cancer patients by combining the antigen-targeting specificity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the cytotoxic potency of chemotherapeutic drugs. In Antibody-Drug Conjugates, expert researchers provide detailed protocols for many of the key ADC techniques necessary for working in the field. These chapters and methodologies are aimed at the key tasks necessary to identify a suitable target, properly design the mAb, the linker and the payload, as well as to conjugate them in a reproducible and scalable fashion. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) format, these detailed chapters include the kind of practical implementation advice that guarantees quality results. Authoritative and timely, Antibody-Drug Conjugates aims to further drive ADC development and thus help toward improving cancer treatments of the future.

The "cancer stem cell" hypothesis postulates that cancer arises from a subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells or cancer stem cells (CSCs). While the idea of cancer stem cells has been around for more than a hundred years, evidence from the fields of hematology and cancer biology has now demonstrated the critical role of stem cells in hematological malignancies and suggested that these same mechanisms are also central to the initiation, progression, and treatment of solid cancers. Clinical and experimental studies have shown that CSCs exhibit many classical properties of normal stem cells, including a high self-renewal capacity and the ability to generate heterogeneous lineages; the requirement for a specific "niche"/microenvironment to grow; and an increased capacity for self-protection against harsh environments, toxins, and drugs. Cancer Stem Cells in Solid Tumors represents a detailed overview of cancer stem cells and their role in solid cancers. Comprised of 24 chapters, this volume will provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of this important and evolving field. Topics covered include: Introduction of the CSC hypothesis Historical perspectives and the contributing lessons from leukemia Current knowledge regarding the identification and role of CSCs in various forms of solid cancer including breast, brain, colorectal, pancreatic, prostate, melanoma, lung, ovarian, hepatocellular, and head and neck cancer Molecular pathways involved in driving CSC function, with a particular focus on the novel convergence of embryonic and tumorigenic signaling pathways In vitro and in vivo assays, model systems, and imaging modalities for studying CSCs The clinical importance of CSCs for cancer management and treatment, including important implications for prognosis, prediction, and treatment resistance Consideration of the controversy surrounding the CSC hypothesis and important unanswered questions in this field This collective work was written by a group of prominent international experts in cancer biology, oncology, and/or stem cell biology. It will serve as a valuable resource for established researchers, professors, health care professionals, and students in the medical and scientific community who are investigating stem cells and/or oncology.

Metastasis is the primary cause of mortality associated with cancer, and tumor genomic heterogeneity is a likely source for the cells that support cancer progression, resistance to therapy, and disease relapse. This book connects cancer metastasis with genomic instability in a comprehensive manner. Section 1 outlines the fundamental mechanisms responsible for these cellular and tissue phenotypes. Section 2 discusses in silico, in vitro, and in vivo models used for the experimental study of these processes. Section 3 reviews emerging themes (ex., microenvironment, mechanotransduction, and immunomodulation), and Section 4 highlights new therapeutic approaches to overcome the unique challenges presented by the heterogeneous and metastatic tumor. This book is intended for undergraduates and postgraduates with an interest in the areas of medicine, oncology, and cancer biology as well as for the content expert searching for thorough reviews of current knowledge in these areas.

Philip Rosenthal, MD, and a panel of leading malaria experts drawn from academia, the military, and international health organizations survey the latest scientific understanding of antimalarial chemotherapy, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms of resistance and the description of important new targets. Their survey covers the current status of malarial and antimalarial chemotherapy, the relevant biology and biochemistry of malaria parasites, the antimalarial drugs currently available, new chemical approaches to chemotherapy, and possible new targets for chemotherapy. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Antimalarial Chemotherapy: Mechanisms of Action, Resistance, and New Directions in Drug Discovery clearly delineates all the basic and clinical research now addressing one of the world's major unresolved disease problems, work that is now powerfully driving the rapid pace of antimalarial drug discovery today.

This volume reviews our current knowledge concerning can Several chapters discuss the contributions of genetic asp cer growth and progression as it relates to the etiology of ects, metabolism, endocrine-related aspects and nutrition to human cancer. As emphasized in Volumes I-V of this series, cancer progression. Moreover, our current knowledge con neoplastic diseases are multistep maladies. There are many cerning urbanization factors, radiation, therapy-induced causes for the appearance of neoplastic diseases. Earlier neoplasms, environmentally induced neoplasms (e. g., chapters in the series have reviewed molecular and cellular mesotheliomas induced by asbestos) and malignant neo aspects of tumor initiation, promotion and progression to plasms in organ transplant recipients are summarized. the invasive and metastatic phenotype. Contributions to the The impact of AIDS on neoplasm development is re initiation and progression of neoplastic diseases are made by viewed from an epidemiologic perspective that explores mul natural features of the environment and by its contaminants tiple facets of immunity, infectious disease, sexual behavior and by nutritional factors. Neoplastic diseases show a dis and blood transfusion. Other chapters investigate the in tinct relationship to a variety of environmental stimuli and fluence of the host immune response in oncogenesis and the to diseases of a non-neoplastic nature. For example, familial relationship between atherosclerotic plaques and tumors."

This issue of Hematology/Oncology Clinics, guest edited by Dr. Glenn J. Hanna, will focus on Head and Neck Cancer. This issue is one of six selected each year by our series consulting editors, Dr. George P. Canellos and Dr. Edward J. Benz. This issue addresses the evaluation and management of the complex head and neck cancer patient with articles focused on unique epidemiology and therapeutic principles by subsite of disease. Additional information relevant to rare head and neck malignancies is included. The issue further focuses on the evolving applications of minimally invasive surgery in oropharynx cancer and the role of immunotherapy in the management of advanced disease. Topics include: Radiologic Evaluation of the Head and Neck Cancer Patient, Robotic and Endoscopic Approaches to Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer of the Oral Cavity and Lip, Cancer of the Oropharynx and the Association with Human Papillomavirus, Cancer of the Larynx and Hypopharynx, Cancer of the Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses, Cancer of the Nasopharynx and the Association with Epstein-Barr Virus, Salivary Glands Cancers, Thyroid and Parathyroid Cancers, Cutaneous Malignancies of the Head and Neck, Managing Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer, and Immunotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer. Provides in-depth, clinical reviews on head and neck cancer, providing actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field; Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create these timely topic-based reviews.

When this book first appeared in 1981, it was the first to deal comprehensively with major issues in the psychotherapeutic treatment of cancer patients. It remains the standard volume in the field, drawing together a broad spectrum of work using psychological approaches to treatment of cancer patients and to understanding the disease's sociological and psychological implications. Distinguished contributors from medicine, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, psychology, social work, family and group therapy, and nursing examine key issues, including the role of aggression in the onset and treatment of cancer; sexual functioning of patients; cancer as an emotionally regressive experience, cancer in children, and the countertransference responses of a therapist working with a cancer patient. This volume will be of particular value to helping professionals who deal with cancer patients and their families.

Leading researchers and clinicians join forces to explain how malignant melanoma develops from its benign precursor cell type. The authors focus on the molecular mechanisms involved in melanogenesis, in the malignant transformation of melanocytes, and in the further progression of primary melanomas into invasive and metastatic melanomas. They also review recent advances in our understanding of the basic biology of melanocytes and the development, migration, and differentiation of melanoblasts into melanocytes. The book provides an up-to-date understanding of the progressive mechanisms of oncological development in malignant melanoma, a likely model of malignant progress for other types of cancer, and the ongoing development of novel therapeutics.

In Leukemia and Lymphoma: Detection of Minimal Residual Disease, hands-on experts describe and discuss the minimal residual disease (MRD) methods they have successfully pioneered for leukemias and lymphomas. They apply reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Other PCR methods are used for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and for the monitoring of follicular lymphoma. Additional chapters address the use of real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR), the emergent method of choice, in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the evaluation of MRD techniques in clinical trials, and the application of flow cytometry techniques.

Biological Basis of Geriatric Oncology highlights research issues that are specific to geriatric oncology in the field of carcinogenesis and cancer prevention and treatment, based on the biologic interactions of cancer and age. It illustrates the benefit of the principles of geriatrics in the management of cancer in the older individual.

This volume provides a frame of reference for practicioners of any specialties involved in the management of older patients and for oncologists involved in the management of cancer of older individuals. It is a source for basic and clinical scientists exploring the interactions and emerging information of cancer and aging.

The present book is a collection of original contributions by specialists in fields related to the more advanced methods presently used or foreseen in the near future for cancer therapy. The use of larger nuclear installations, like particle accelerators and nuclear reactors in oncology is treated in detail, giving an interesting overview of their present and future potential. The aim of the book is to clarify the present state of the art and to encourage new interest in the many fields related to cancer research. The book is particularly suitable for people working in cancer research, but also in other fields, like particle accelerators, nuclear reactors, nuclear medicine and radio-pharmaceutical research. The methods presented in the book are sometimes tentative or not completely established, but clearly reveal the efforts being made to acquire new knowledge for the solution of one of the more serious problems involving the whole of mankind. The book is also required reading for those who want to be informed about the medical research work in large nuclear installations and the most advanced trends in nuclear medicine.

James J. Goedert and a team of leading experimental and clinical researchers provide critical, integrating surveys of those viruses, bacteria, and parasites that are now known to play a major role in cancer-work that opens the way toward novel therapeutic targets. The contributors focus on five types of human carcinogenic infection-herpesviruses, retroviruses, papillomaviruses, hepatitis viruses, and H. pylori-and review in depth the associated malignancies, as well as how these new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies may be implemented. Cutting-edge and cross-disciplinary, Infectious Causes of Cancer: Targets for Intervention provides clinical oncologists and infectious disease specialists, as well as clinical researchers, with insightful reviews of cancer induction by infectious diseases and the high promise of closely targeted new therapeutics and vaccines.

Outstanding Problems in Cancer Risk Assessments: Pharmacodynamic Models for Cancer Risk Assessment; S.H. Moolgavkar. Oncogenes: Review of Current Status and Potential for Contributions to Cancer Risk Assessment Methods: Oncogene Assessment and Human Cancer; D.A. Spandidos, M.L.M. Anderson. Transgenics: Review of Current Status and Potential for Contributions to Cancer Risk Assessment Methods: Oncogenic Transgenic Mice in the Study of Carcinogenesis; C.H. Ahn, W.C. Choi. Case Studies: Review of Methylene Chloride Cancer Risk Assessment: Cancer Dose-Response Modeling and Methylene Chloride; G. Charnley. Case Studies: Review of Benzene Cancer Risk Assessment: Risk Assessments for Benzene-Induced Leukemia; K.S. Crump. Concluding Remarks: Findings and Recommendations; C. Zervos. Index.

This book presents a novel molecular description for understanding the regulatory mechanisms behind the autonomy and self-organization in biological systems. Chapters focus on defining and explaining the regulatory molecular mechanisms behind different aspects of autonomy and self-organization in the sense of autonomous coding, data processing, structure (mass) formation and energy production in a biological system. Subsequent chapters discuss the cross-talk among mechanisms of energy, and mass and information, transformation in biological systems. Other chapters focus on applications regarding therapeutic approaches in regenerative medicine. Molecular Mechanisms of Autonomy in Biological Systems is an indispensable resource for scientists and researchers in regenerative medicine, stem cell biology, molecular biology, tissue engineering, developmental biology, biochemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics, as well as big data sciences, complexity and soft computing.

Progress in Cell Cycle Research is a new annual series designed to be the source for up-to-date research on this rapidly expanding field. Review articles by international experts examine various aspects of cell division regulation from fundamental perspectives to potential medical applications. Researchers as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students in cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology will benefit from this series.

This book is a comprehensive review of the current knowledge on cytokines and cancer. Cytokines play a variety of roles in cancer, both as components of pathogenetic mechanisms, as well as agents used in the treatment of certain malignancies. To date, there has not been a book that covers both basic science and translational/clinical research in the field of cytokines in malignancies. This book is written by leading figures in the field of cytokine biology and cytokine therapeutics and is specifically focused on this subject. The book is divided into two parts. The first part is focused on current developments in the basic science field. There is a particular emphasis on novel mechanisms of cytokine actions in malignant cells. The second part deals with translational and clinical research in the field, and many of the authors of these chapters were among the first to introduce several cytokines in the treatment of certain tumors. Collectively, the information provided in this book will be helpful to people in the medical field at several levels, including medical students, interns, residents, clinical and basic science researchers, as well as oncologists in practice.

This book covers topics that range from fundamental studies of DNA replication, chromosomal and nuclear function through growth factor control of endocrine tumor initiation and progression. The basic and translational insights gained from Hormonal Control of Cell Cycle will be of interest to those studying the biology of endocrine tumors as well as those deriving novel therapeutic approaches for these benign and malignant disorders.

Written for residents and practitioners of otolaryngology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and maxiollofacial surgery, this book provides the reader with a comprehensive, concise discussion of the best evidence available on which to base clinical decisions needed when managing patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx. Because of its accessible and practical format, this book is considerably different than other related titles on the market. Formatted with questions at the beginning of each chapter that are then answered with evidence and best practices available for each case, each chapter addresses situations the clinician is likely to face in the diagnostic evaluation and treatment of a patient with cancer of the head and neck. Most clinical decisions in the management of cancers of the head and neck region are based on the results of a few controlled, randomized clinical trial trials (Evidence Level I). However, most decision-making is based on the results of case-control studies (Evidence Level II), descriptive studies, reports of expert committees, or opinions of respected authorities (Evidence Level III). This information is scattered throughout the literature and often comingled with information about other topics. Therefore, there is a need for a publication in which the evidence pertinent to making decisions regarding a particular clinical problem is distilled from the literature and presented in a single concise, clinical, situation-driven source. Cancer of the Oral Cavity, Pharynx and Larynx: Evidence-Based Decision Making is just such a resource.

At the moment, there is no dedicated book to summarize the roles, the significance, and potential therapeutic targeting of transcriptional factors from the perspective of signaling cascade, and thus, directly impacting the functionality of transcriptional factors in cancer. In addition, this book will offer a comprehensive basic and clinical science behind the functions of representative core transcriptional factors. These chapters will serve as a treasure for all those who have an interest in the basis, progression, and targeting of human cancer. Each chapter will be intended to provide comprehensive, up-to-date information by the leaders about the physiologic and pathologic roles of TFs in specific representative organ systems of prime importance. The book will consist of chapters that will give biomedical students, under and graduate students, basic sciences and clinical cancer fellows, residents and researchers, and oncology educators will get a thorough summary of the overall subject. The readers will be able to understand the important current information and views on specific TFs and its role in cancer in areas outside their own expertise or experience. A special emphasis will be also placed on the "classic" papers as well as perspectives on future directions for the field.

In June 1998 the Fourth International Workshop on Digital Mammography was held in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, where it was hosted by the department of Radiology of the University Hospital Nijmegen. This series of meetings was initiated at the 1993 SPIE Biomedical Image Processing Conference in San Jose, USA, where a number of sessions were entirely devoted to mammographic image analysis. At very successful subsequent workshops held in York, UK (1994) and Chicago, USA (1996), the scope of the conference was broadened, establishing a platform for presentation and discussion of new developments in digital mammog raphy. Topics that are addressed at these meetings are computer-aided diagnosis, image processing, detector development, system design, observer performance and clinical evaluation. The goal is to bring researchers from universities, breast cancer experts, and engineers together, to exchange information and present new scientific developments in this rapidly evolving field. This book contains all the scientific papers and posters presented at the work shop in Nijmegen. Contributions came from as many as 20 different countries and 190 participants attended the meeting. At a technical exhibit companies demon strated new products and work in progress. Abstracts of all papers were reviewed by members of the scientific committee. Many of the accepted papers had excellent quality, but due to limited space not all of them could be included as full papers in these proceedings. Papers that were rated high by the reviewers are included as long or short papers, others appear as extended abstracts in the last chapter."

Target Discovery and Validation: Reviews and Protocols, Volumes 1 and 2 review the most progressive and current methods for drug target discovery and validation. These volumes explore how recent improvement in understanding the molecular mechanisms of human pathology is impacting drug target discovery in the laboratory and in real therapeutics, specifically for cancers and autoimmune disorders.
Volume 1 focuses on novel and innovative techniques, and presents the most up-to-date protocols available for maximizing the likelihood of achieving target-selective inhibition in vivo while minimizing side effects. The profound impact of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics on target discovery is explored, and specific attention is given to the role of transgenic and knockout animals in functional genomics and target validation. Cancer researchers will find tremendous value in the molecular classification of breast cancers and the review of protocols for tumor antigens and cancer vaccines. The methods and protocols collected here, all reviewed by leading scientists and clinicians, present the practical details necessary for translating the enormous discovery potential of the genome into real therapeutic products.
Volume 2 collects all the practical details required for efficient translation of discovered targets into real pharmaceutical drugs. Specific targets in cancers and autoimmunity are described and the potential of using siRNA's, antisense oligonucleotides and RNA aptimers in patients is reviewed. This volume explores the tremendous impact of the application of genotyping and gene expression profiling on the future of healthcare, and presents cutting-edge protocols to aid inbringing agents against specific targets closer to application in the clinic.
Collectively, these volumes provide a thorough review of the most cutting-edge methods available for each step in drug target identification, validation, and clinical application. For researchers, an understanding of available methods aids in the creation of innovative experiments in the laboratory, and the successful translation of target discovery to real therapeutics.

Quantification of the proliferative characteristics of normal and malignant cells has been of interest to oncolo gists and cancer biologists for almost three decades. This interest stems from (a) the fact that cancer is a disease of uncontrolled proliferation, (b) the finding that many of the commonly used anticancer agents are preferentially toxic to cells that are actively proliferating, and (c) the observa tion that significant differences in proliferation characteristics exist between normal and malignant cells. Initially, cell cycle analysis was pursued enthusiastically in the hope of gener ating information useful for the development of rational cancer therapy strategies; for example, by allowing identi fication of rapidly proliferating tumors against which cell cycle-specific agents could be used with maximum effec tiveness and by allowing rational scheduling of cell cyc- specific therapeutic agents to maximize the therapeutic ratio. Unfortunately, several difficulties have prevented realiza tion of the early promise of cell cycle analysis: Proliferative patterns of the normal and malignant tissues have been found to be substantially more complex than originally an ticipated, and synchronization of human tumors has proved remarkably difficult. Human tumors of the same type have proved highly variable, and the cytokinetic tools available for cell cycle analysis have been labor intensive, as well as somewhat subjective and in many cases inapplicable to humans. However, the potential for substantially improved cancer therapy remains if more accurate cytokinetic infor mation about human malignancies and normal tissues can be obtained in a timely fashion."