This book aims to provide an up-to-date review of the literature in each of the major areas relating to the management of older colorectal cancers patients, and makes recommendations for best practice and future research. The authors come from a broad geographic spread including the UK, mainland Europe and North America to ensure a worldwide relevance.

Metastatic disease is the most lethal aspect of human malignancies, making the understanding and continued research of the process of metastasis a crucial step in treating cancer. The proposed book, entitled "Experimental and Clinical Metastasis: A Comprehensive Review" aims to provide a clear and extensive review of the clinical and experimental implications of metastatic disease. This work focuses on recent contributions to the field of metastasis, and will highlight crucial findings in the molecular understanding of disseminated disease as well as standard and personalized medicine currently being investigated in the clinic. Topics will include, among many, gene properties of metastatic cells, molecular mechanisms of tumour growth and spread, animal models of metastasis, and clinical implications, markers and treatment for metastatic disease. With the participation of worldwide experts in the field of oncology, from major academic and government centres, this book will provide a leading manual for the study of the metastatic process, from benchside science to bedside care. In this light, the proposed book will facilitate classroom learning for both medical and graduate students, as well as serve as a tool for physicians and researchers interested in the metastatic process. In addition, this book will include the latest advances in basic science as well as leading technologies and theories of targeting metastatic cells. Most importantly, not only will basic and clinical aspects be discussed, but furthermore, the translational aspect of research in metastatic diseases will be emphasized.

This book analyzes all aspects of modern multimodal treatment of locally recurrent rectal cancer in the pelvis in order to offer a panoramic overview of the different therapeutic options and enable the reader to balance their benefits and drawbacks. Indications for surgery and the surgical techniques themselves, including reconstruction techniques after major exenterative surgery, are clearly described and evaluated. The role of new imaging tools, such as MRI and PET-CT, in staging recurrences and guiding therapy is assessed and detailed consideration is given to the use of neoadjuvant and iterative radiotherapy and the indications for systemic chemotherapy. Morbidity, mortality, oncologic outcomes, and quality of life issues are carefully analyzed and options for pain control and palliation are examined. Finally, a national survey is presented on the state of the art in the surgical treatment of locally recurrent rectal cancer in Italy. While there has been a dramatic fall in the incidence of local pelvic recurrences, their treatment remains a major clinical challenge which requires a multidisciplinary approach and careful selection of the most appropriate strategy in each case. This book will aid practitioners in making the correct decisions in individual patients.

This book is meant to provide a complete overview of the research of HPV and its connection to cervical cancer.

The cytoskeleton is comprised of a variety of specialized proteins, and is a dynamic structure that is involved in the majority of key cellular events. There is increasing interest in the role of the cytoskeleton in human disease. This volume brings together human disease states where cytoskeletal disruptions are driving disease. Our emerging understanding of the molecular and cellular events that drive cytoskeletal mediated diseases including cancer, heart disease, myopathies and skin disorders, are also helping shape targeted therapeutic approaches to treating these diseases.

This book examines in depth the evidence, clinical applications and potential cancer signatures in the circulation and discusses alterations in circulating cell-free nucleic acids, and circulating tumor DNA, as well as the epigenome, genome, transcriptome (coding and noncoding), proteome (both traditional serum proteins and proteomic profiles) and metabolome. Further, it highlights the clinical applications of circulating tumor cells for each cancer type and addresses the emerging importance of extracellular vesicular contents, including miRNA, oncogenes and drug resistant factors. As such, it offers a valuable reference guide for cancer researchers, oncologists, clinicians, surgeons, medical students, oncology nurses, diagnostic laboratories, and the pharmaceutical industry.

This competence-building resource synthesizes a rich trove of conceptual and practical information on treating cancer survivors at risk of being underserved. Spotlighting a diverse group of ethnic and other demographic populations surviving diverse forms of cancer, the book models the assessing of needs and the developing of strategies to meet them. The multiple burden of cancer-medical and psychosocial problems, discrimination and stigma, quality of life issues-is described in depth as it affects different cultural and age populations. Contributors also present interventions that effectively and meaningfully address these complex intersections of physical, emotional, interpersonal, and layered social concerns. Included among the topics: Providing psychosocial distress screening, coping resources and self-care to newly diagnosed cancer survivors. Latino cancer survivors: the old and the young. An exploration of Latvian immigrants' cancer experience and implications for supportive interventions. Survivorship issues among Muslim women with cancer. How art therapy can benefit the quality of life of young breast cancer survivors. The family caregiver as cancer survivor: supporting and promoting positive bereavement outcomes. Unique among the survivor literature, Treating Vulnerable Populations of Cancer Survivors ably assists health psychologists, social workers, and nurses in providing services to patients facing special challenges during recovery.

Angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels and is a key process which occurs during pathological disease progression. Excessive and damaging angiogenesis occurs in diseases such as cancer, diabetic retinopathies, age-related macular degeneration and atherosclerosis. In other diseases such as stroke and myocardial infarction, insufficient or improper angiogenesis results in tissue loss and ultimately higher morbidity and mortality. In this book we will begin by providing the reader with an overview of the process of angiogenesis including normal embryological development of blood vessels. The following chapters will each focus on a key angiogenic disease incorporating current scientific knowledge concerning the causes of activation of the "angiogenic switch," pathological consequences, current treatment options and future perspectives. Where appropriate, results from pre-clinical trials, novel imaging modalities and nanotechnological approaches will be incorporated into these sections. Finally, since it is now believed that the process of angiogenesis operated via different signalling mechanisms in different vascular beds, we will discuss our current understanding of this phenomenon. The target audience for this book would include researchers in all the basic sciences; post-graduate students at Universities and Institutes; pharmaceutical industries; clinicians working in vascular biology or tissue imaging; pathologists; neurologists; tumour biologists; ophthalmologists and cardiologists.

This book will provide the latest advances in molecular and cellular biology for establishing the foundation of a complete understanding of the mechanisms of breast differentiation leading to cancer prevention. The authors are based on the epidemiological evidence indicating that early first full term pregnancy is a protective factor in human against breast cancer and they have used this paradigm and developed experimental systems in both in vivo and in vitro that have demonstrated mechanistically how the differentiation at the organ and cellular level takes place. This knowledge has provided the blueprint for developing better understanding of the basis of cancer prevention. The transcriptoma analysis of the breast of pre and post-menopausal women has established a genomic signature imprinted in the breast that differs according to the reproductive history of the woman showing that early first full term pregnancy reprogram the organ. This reprogramming takes place at the chromatin level by changing the transcriptional process. The modification of the transcriptional control is due to the expression of non coding RNA sequences and posttranscriptional control driven by the splicesome. The plasticity of the genome of the human breast make possible this reprogramming that is not only induced by the physiological process of pregnancy but by the use of hormones that mimic pregnancy without pregnancy. The author have established the basis of clinical trials for prevention and the discovery that short 15aa peptides of the chorionic gonadotropin hormone can be used in human breast cancer prevention based on preclinical and clinical data.

Cell-cell adhesion is fundamental for the development and homeostasis of animal tissues and organs. Adherens junctions (AJs) are the best understood cell-cell adhesion complexes. In this volume, internationally recognized experts review AJ biology over a wide range of organization; from atoms to molecules, to protein complexes, molecular networks, cells, tissues, and overall animal development. AJs have also been an integral part of animal evolution, and play central roles in cancer development, pathogen infection and other diseases. This book addresses major questions encompassing AJ biology. - How did AJs evolve? - How do cadherins and catenins interact to assemble AJs and mediate adhesion? - How do AJs interface with other cellular machinery to couple adhesion with the whole cell? - How do AJs affect cell behaviour and multicellular development? - How can abnormal AJ activity lead to disease? Valuable for both newcomers and experts in the field, this book offers a comprehensive resource for the research laboratory and a teaching tool for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in cell and developmental biology.

This book introduces readers to the biology of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) and emphasizes the necessity and importance of targeting LSCs in the treatment of hematopoietic malignancies. It addresses the role of leukemia stem cells in different leukemia diseases and molecular signatures, as well as the metabolic and epigenetic regulation of leukemia stem cell function. With regard to solid tumors, a significant number of blood cancers are believed to be derived from leukemia stem cells (LSCs), which are responsible for disease progression, relapse and drug resistance. Consequently, new therapeutic strategies need to be developed by focusing on the complete eradication of LSCs. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable asset for graduate students and scientists in the fields of cell biology and cancer research etc.

The book is based on lectures presented on the International Summer School on Biophysics held in Croatia in September 2009. The advantage of the School is that it provides advanced training in very broad scope of areas related to biophysics contrary to other similar schools or workshops that are centered mainly on one topic or technique. In this volume, tenth in the row, the papers in the field of biophysics are presented. The topics are biological phenomena from single protein to macromolecular aggregations structure by using variant physical methods (NMR, EPR, FTIR, Mass Spectrometry, etc.). The interrelationship of supramolecular structures and their functions is enlightened by applications of principals of these physical methods in the biophysical and molecular biology context.

Androgens and androgen receptors (AR) play critical roles in the development and progression of prostate cancer, the most frequently diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in US males. AR is an androgen-dependent DNA-binding transcription factor that regulates the expression of androgen-responsive genes. Identification and characterization of androgen-responsive genes provide insights into the cellular mechanisms of androgen action and may lead to new approaches in diagnosis, prognosis, prevention and/or treatment of prostate cancer. This volume provides critical information from well respected experts in the field. Some of the exciting topics include the new understanding of mechanisms underlining the regulation of androgen-responsive gene expression, and functions of various androgen-responsive genes in biological processes essential in carcinogenesis including cell growth, angiogenesis, and epithelial-to-mesenchyme transition (EMT). Other important aspects addressed are the current and potential clinic applications of knowledge on androgen-responsive gene regulation and function. This book is intended for researchers, scientists, faculty, and advanced graduate students with an interest in androgen action and prostate cancer.

Based on the analytical methods and the computer programs presented in this book, all that may be needed to perform MRI tissue diagnosis is the availability of relaxometric data and simple computer program proficiency. These programs are easy to use, highly interactive and the data processing is fast and unambiguous. Laboratories (with or without sophisticated facilities) can perform computational magnetic resonance diagnosis with only T1 and T2 relaxation data. The results have motivated the use of data to produce data-driven predictions required for machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research. Consequently, this book is intended to be very useful for students, scientists, engineers, the medical personnel and researchers who are interested in developing new concepts for deeper appreciation of computational magnetic resonance imaging for medical diagnosis, prognosis, therapy and management of tissue diseases.

The seventh in Springer's landmark series of edited volumes on one of the highest-profile subjects in contemporary medicine and scientific endeavour, this volume sets out to cover a staggering range of research into the medical applications of stem cell research. While stem cells are the very stuff of life for multicellular organisms, including us humans, the cancer stem cell is a morbid entity with a robust resistance to therapies including conventional chemotherapy. This authoritative publication explains the regenerative potential of stem cells and their mesenchymal progeny, reviewing clinical applications of the latter in the treatment of cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative pathologies. It covers the entire range of stem cells with known potential for therapeutic use, from human embryonic to germ cell-derived pluripotent stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells. The chapters also deal with the role of TGF-beta in propagating human embryonic stem cells, and in facilitating their differentiation. Featuring discussions of molecular signaling pathways that modulate mesenchymal stem cell self-renewal and much more, this book is certain to have broad appeal among academicians and physicians alike.

This is the ideal book for anyone contemplating starting a career in, or shifting their career to, studying the dynamics that drive cancer progression and its response to therapy. Topics include the theory and population genetics of cancers, genetic diversity within tumors (intra-tumor heterogeneity), understanding how mutant clones expand in tissues, the role of cancer stem cells in the dynamics of tumors, the evolution of metastasis, and how to improve cancer therapy by addressing the evolution of cancers in response to our interventions. There are also chapters on the patterns of cancer susceptibility in humans due to a mismatch between our modern environment and the environment in which our ancestors evolved, as well as a chapter on the evolution of cancer suppression mechanisms that have evolved in different species, particularly the large long-lived animals like elephants and whales that are better at suppressing cancers than humans. This book serves as a primer on the evolutionary and ecological theory of cancer- the framework upon which all the details of cancer may be hung. It is ideal for oncologists and cancer researchers interested in evolutionary theory, and evolutionary biologists and ecologists interested in gaining insights into cancer development and prevention.

X-ray imaging is a corner stone of breast cancer diagnosis. By exploiting the phase shift of X-rays rather than their attenuation, phase-contrast tomography has the potential to dramatically increase the visibility of small and low contrast features, thus leading to better diagnosis. This thesis presents research on the first synchrotron-based project developing a clinical phase-contrast breast computed tomography (CT) setup at Elettra, the Italian Syncrotron Radiation Facility. This book includes a comprehensive theoretical background on propagation-based phase-contrast imaging, exploring and extending the most recent image formation models. Along with theory, many practical implementation and optimization issues, ranging from detector-specific processing to setup geometry, are tackled on the basis of a large number of experimental evidences. Most of the modelling results and data analysis have general validity, being a valuable framework for optimization of phase-contrast setups. Results obtained at synchrotron are also compared with "real world" laboratory sources: both a first-of-its-kind comparison with one of the few hospital breast CT systems and a state-of-the-art implementation of monochromatic phase-contrast micro-tomography with a conventional rotating anode source are presented. On a more general level, this work sheds a light on the importance of synchrotron-based clinical programs, which are key to trigger the long-anticipated transition of phase-contrast imaging from synchrotrons to hospitals.

This book provides multidisciplinary reviews of the mechanism of action and uses of methotrexate in the treatment of cancer, psoriasis, gynecologic and inflammatory diseases. The intended audience is composed of clinicians involved in the care of patients suffering from oncologic, gynecologic, rheumatic diseases as well as scientists involved in research into the pathogenesis and treatment of these diseases. This book is unique in that it provides a single, state-of-the-art source for information regarding the mechanism and use of methotrexate in many different areas of medicine.

This is a unique book on thyroid neoplasms in that it covers many current topics in the area including tumor development, tumor markers and preclinical treatment for advanced cancer as well as practical approaches (radioiodine, ultrasound, thyroglobulin monitoring and PET scanning). This book will give the general reader and specialist a good foundation for what is currently going on in the area of thyroid neoplasms.
*A translational approach to thyriod neoplasms
*Contributions from national experts in research and clinical medicine
*Current and practical approaches to patients with thyroid neoplasms