Oncothermia is the next generation medical innovation that delivers selective, controlled and deep energy for cancer treatment. The basic principles for oncothermia stem from oncological hyperthermia, the oldest approach to treating cancer. Nevertheless, hyperthermia has been wrought with significant controversy, mostly stemming from shortcomings of controlled energy delivery. Oncothermia has been able to overcome these insufficiencies and prove to be a controlled, safe and efficacious treatment option. This book is the first attempt to elucidate the theory and practice of oncothermia, based on rigorous mathematical and biophysical analysis, not centered on the temperature increase. It is supported by numerous in-vitro and in-vivo findings and twenty years of clinical experience. This book will help scientists, researchers and medical practitioners in understanding the scientific and conceptual underpinnings of oncothermia and will add another valuable tool in the fight against cancer. Professor Andras Szasz is the inventor of oncothermia and the Head of St Istvan University's Biotechnics Department in Hungary. He has published over 300 papers and lectured at various universities around the world. Dr. Oliver Szasz is the managing director of Oncotherm, the global manufacturer and distributor of medical devices for cancer treatment used in Europe & Asia since the late 1980s. Dr. Nora Szasz is currently a management consultant in healthcare for McKinsey & Co.

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.

Based on the highly successful first edition of Prostate Biopsy: Indications, Techniques, and Complications, this new volume presents new concepts that have emerged in answer to current questions from its audience. Many new perspectives and technologies are presented, many from the authors' internationally recognized work on the topic. Substantial developments in techniques and complications are explored in detail. The chapter authors comprise a complete spectrum of specialists in their respective subject areas. All authors are internationally accepted as the premier authorities on their chosen topics. Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: PSA, Biopsy, and Beyond presents new data on the controversial issue of PSA screening and thresholds as indication to perform biopsy. Office based transrectal saturation biopsy is covered in detail. Other topics explored include template guided biopsy and image-guided biopsy as well as a completely new paradigm for prevention of complications. Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: PSA, Biopsy, and Beyond will be of great value and utility to all practicing urologists.

Mohs Surgery is reviewed in this issue of Dermatologic Clinics, guest edited by Drs. Allison Vidimos, Christine Poblete-Lopez, and Christopher Gasbarre. Expert contributors offer reviews on topics including the history of Mohs surgery, Techniques, Mohs surgery for melanoma in situ, Flaps and grafts reconstruction, Transplant patients, Imaging, Histologic pitfalls, Special stains and Mohs, Special considerations: Eyes, lips, nailbed, and genitalia, Multidisciplinary approach to large tumors, Prosthetic rehabilitation, Setting up a Mohs surgery lab, and Coding for Mohs surgery.

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.

Reproductive medicine is a growing field with new technology emerging faster than we can assess consumer's perceptions of -the number of cancer survivors are growing and there is a great need to attend to their quality of life-this book addresses the needs of males and females, identifies effective communication strategies and proactive measures for health care professionals and researchers to use as well as identifying gaps in the literature where more research is needed.

This issue of Surgical Oncology Clinics, Guest Edited by Dr. Steven Curley, presents various articles on the subject of Ablative Procedures. Articles include: The History of Ablation; Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC); RFA of Colorectal Cancer; RFA of Neuroendocrine Metastases; Basic Science Research; Ablation Kidney Lesions; High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU); Microwave Coagulation; Ablation of Bone Metastases; Ablation Breast; Ablation Lung Lesions; and Planning and Follow-up After Ablation.

Dr. Adrian Reuben updates one of the most highly requested topics in liver disease by inviting highly distinguished authors to address the important aspects of diagnosis and treatment of hepatocelluar carcinoma. State-of-the-art issues are addressed, including the role of oncogenic viruses, molecular and genetic guidelines, and screening and staging. Dr. Reuben, himself, concludes the issue with an important article on an agorithmic approach to diagnosis and treatment: Resect, Ablate, Replace or Intoxicate?

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.

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

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.

This volume covers the topics presented at the 3rd International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress by an international community of researchers. The conference brings together scientists to discuss different cellular and animal models of tumor microenvironment study and identify common pathways that are candidates for therapeutic intervention; stimulate collaboration between groups that are more focused on elucidation of biochemical aspects of stress biology (e.g., HIF regulation) and groups that study the pathophysiological aspects of stress pathways or engaged in drug discovery; and critically evaluate novel targets for imaging or therapeutic intervention that would be of use to the tumor microenvironment community and pharmaceutical industry.

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.

This open access book is a step-by-step introduction on how shell scripting can help solve many of the data processing tasks that Health and Life specialists face everyday with minimal software dependencies. The examples presented in the book show how simple command line tools can be used and combined to retrieve data and text from web resources, to filter and mine literature, and to explore the semantics encoded in biomedical ontologies. To store data this book relies on open standard text file formats, such as TSV, CSV, XML, and OWL, that can be open by any text editor or spreadsheet application. The first two chapters, Introduction and Resources, provide a brief introduction to the shell scripting and describe popular data resources in Health and Life Sciences. The third chapter, Data Retrieval, starts by introducing a common data processing task that involves multiple data resources. Then, this chapter explains how to automate each step of that task by introducing the required commands line tools one by one. The fourth chapter, Text Processing, shows how to filter and analyze text by using simple string matching techniques and regular expressions. The last chapter, Semantic Processing, shows how XPath queries and shell scripting is able to process complex data, such as the graphs used to specify ontologies. Besides being almost immutable for more than four decades and being available in most of our personal computers, shell scripting is relatively easy to learn by Health and Life specialists as a sequence of independent commands. Comprehending them is like conducting a new laboratory protocol by testing and understanding its procedural steps and variables, and combining their intermediate results. Thus, this book is particularly relevant to Health and Life specialists or students that want to easily learn how to process data and text, and which in return may facilitate and inspire them to acquire deeper bioinformatics skills in the future.

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.

Incidentalomas, or tumors discovered unintentionally by radiologists, are a problem that all radiologists face in their practice. This issue provides not only an overview of neoplasms of the CNS, liver, chest, kidneys, pancreas, and adrenal glands commonly discovered during radiologic examinations but also provides a framework for understanding the legal implications and cost considerations involved for radiologists.

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 issue compiled by Dr. Nancy Berliner focuses on such topics as: A History of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency Or What the Children have Taught Us; HLA-haploidentical Donor Transplantation in Severe Combined Immunodeficiency; Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplantation in Primary Immune Deficiency: Stem Cell Selection and Manipulation; Suffering from Severe Combined Immunodeficiency; Herpes Viruses in Transplant Recipients: HSV, VZV, Human Herpes Viruses, and EBV; and Immunotherapy and Vaccination After Transplant: The Present, the Future.?

Advances in molecular biology over the last several decades are being steadily applied to our understanding of the molecular biology of cancer, and these advances in knowledge are being translated into the clinical practice of oncology. This volume explores some of the most exciting recent advances in basic research on the molecular biology of cancer and how this knowledge is leading to advances in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

* This series provides a forum for discussion of new discoveries, approaches, and ideas * Contributions from leading scholars and industry experts * Reference guide for researchers involved in molecular biology and related fields