This volume reviews the current state of research concerning bacterial virulence factors and the infection biology of Helicobacter pylori, which is the leading cause of peptic ulcers and gastric cancer worldwide. The chapters include cutting-edge findings on this fascinating microbe and discuss the general strategies of H. pylori infection and persistence, news on important H. pylori virulence factors, crosstalk with the microbiota, hot novel models and signaling mechanisms, risk factors of gastric disease and stomach cancer, and the impact of H. pylori infection on non-gastric diseases. Written by internationally respected scientists, this book will appeal to clinicians, researchers and advanced students alike.

This book on fibroid uterus focuses on surgical challenges in minimal access surgery that a surgeon faces while treating this condition. This book explores the role of various imaging modalities in both diagnosis and planning of the treatment. Various surgical techniques, such as hysteroscopy, laparoscopy, and robotic are discussed which will help readers to understand the pros and cons of each one. Teaching practical tips from experts regarding these procedures, the book aims to help surgeons make clinical decisions while they choose surgical procedures for their patients in various clinical settings. The book highlights both the conservative (techniques of myomectomy) and hysterectomy by various methods for treating fibroids. Key Features How to use various imaging modalities for preoperative evaluation of fibroids Issues in preoperative counseling and consent before surgery for fibroids Overview of surgical treatment of fibroids Individual chapters on practical tips by experts for various surgical techniques used for both myomectomy and hysterectomy Discusses the controversy in morcellation and how to perform it safely Covers the problem of parasitic fibroids that have increased in recent times Discusses issues like breach in endometrial cavity during myomectomy, surgery for adenomyosis, uterine rupture and recurrence after myomectomy When to call it a day and convert from laparoscopy to laparotomy

This comprehensive text provides a much-needed review of a disease that is currently garnering the interest of molecular biologists, translational scientists, and clinicians. The volume includes emerging developments in the molecular genetics of endometrial carcinoma. In addition to covering the basic genetics of endometrial carcinoma, chapters also cover a wide range of signaling pathways implicated in endometrial carcinoma. A section of the book includes a number of genetically engineered mouse models, which contribute to understanding the role of various genetic alterations in the development and progression of endometrial carcinoma. These models also provide preclinical models for developing effective targeted therapeutic approaches. Endometrial carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract in the United States and the number of cases continues to increase around the world. This book is a meant to serve as a resource for a wide range of scientists, from molecular geneticists to signal transduction biologists, as well as to both clinicians and scientists interested in developing targeted therapeutic approaches for women with endometrial carcinoma.

This volume provides readers with detailed protocols covering the main cancer cytogenetics techniques needed for clinical utilization and research purposes. The chapters in this book cover topics such as chromosome preparation for myeloid malignancies; chromosome bandings; fluorescence in situ hybridization probe preparation; array-based comparative genomic hybridization; and cytogenetic nomenclature and reporting. The updated reviews on chromosomal abnormalities in hematological malignancies are excellent guides for cytogenetics data interpretations and specific malignant diseases correlation. 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 comprehensive, Cancer Cytogenetics: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for the novice in cytogenetics because it provides helpful guiding protocols, but it's also great for those who are already engaged in the field and are looking for some technical hints.

This volume will describe recent progress and future directions in radiation oncology and biology research, focusing on strategies designed to improve disease control and reduce the risk of long-term adverse effects on patients. As more and more patients are becoming long-term survivors, this strategy will become increasingly important--in radiation oncology and throughout the field of oncology.

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 volume will bring together a review of research being carried out by international experts in this field, detailing treatment and research approaches in several forms of malignant brain tumors. These include glioblastoma (GBM), a highly aggressive and fatal form of astrocytoma which accounts for 80% of newly diagnosed brain tumor patients per year, and meningioma, of which 10% are malignant and extremely resistant to targeted therapies. The volume will also include a discussion of methods to overcome blood-brain barrier exclusion for more efficient targeted drug delivery in all forms of brain cancer treatment. The volume will include information on the repurposing of drugs in an attempt to circumvent drug resistance, use of small molecule inhibitors in GBM treatment, mechanisms of secondary brain metastasis, drug resistance, and state-of-the-art imaging of targeted therapies.

This book presents the theoretical foundations of Systems Biology, as well as its application in studies on human hosts, pathogens and associated diseases. This book presents several chapters written by renowned experts in the field. Some topics discussed in depth in this book include: computational modeling of multiresistant bacteria, systems biology of cancer, systems immunology, networks in systems biology.

This volume aims to provide a range of methods and protocols for studying tumor angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo to reflect advances in the field. The chapters in this book cover topics such as: morphological aspects of tumor angiogenesis, aortic ring assay and its use for the study of tumor angiogenesis, ex vivo tissue culture model for anti-angiogenic drug testing, transgenic zebrafish, orthotopic models of ovarian cancer, and uncovering metabolic effects of anti-angiogenic therapy in tumors by induced metabolic bioluminescence imaging. 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 thorough, Tumor Angiogenesis Assays: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for anyone interested in tumor angiogenesis assay research.

This volume is a valuable and timely resource for a broad audience with interests in basic and translational cancer biology, cancer drug development, as well as in the practice of personalized oncology. 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 cutting-edge, Cancer Gene Networks aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this evolving and vital field. Ultimately these efforts will guide development of transformative strategies for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

This thesis describes the authors' pioneering efforts in the conceptualization and implementation of combined platinum-based immuno-chemotherapeutics, which represent a significant paradigm shift from the conventional approach of directly targeting cancer. The work described has opened up a rich and largely unexplored area for platinum-based drug design, and ultimately paves the way for superior immuno-chemotherapeutics with better clinical outcome for patients. Historically, the contribution of the immune system to chemotherapy outcomes has been neglected, as anticancer drugs were believed to be immunosuppressive. However, this has been challenged by contemporary evidence suggesting that many chemotherapeutics, including platinum-based agents, stimulate the innate and/or adaptive immune system and that these "secret allies" contribute tangibly to clinical outcomes. A multi-pronged immuno-chemotherapeutic approach not only shrinks tumors, but more importantly, reactivate dormant immune responses to malignancies, eliminating residual cancer cells.

In this volume, the specific challenges and problems facing the evaluation of new oncology agents are explored with regards to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic modeling and clinical pharmacology development strategies. This book delivers, with an emphasis on the oncology therapeutic area, the goals set in the first three volumes: namely - to provide clinical pharmacologists practical insights for the application of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics for new drug development strategies. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic concepts for tyrosine kinases, the evaluation of cardiac repolarization prolongation through QTc interval effects, efficacy- and safety-response analyses to support new drug approvals, clinical and preclinical tumor growth modeling, and flat- vs weight-based dose selection are showcased from an oncology clinical pharmacologist's point-of-view. Oncology development strategies are surveyed for new FDA-approvals to identify patterns in expectations at time of first approval. The special considerations necessary to address combination drug development, metronomics, biosimilars and breakthrough therapies are also presented.

This book offers in a single volume a unique collection of the state-of the-art experimental procedures utilized for the induction, detection, and modeling of this complex cellular program of oncogene-induced senescence. The book encompasses protocols for studying this multi-step program in human specimens and a variety of experimental models including cultured mammalian cells, laboratory mice, and Drosophila melanogaster, as well as offering a description of high throughput approaches. 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 laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Oncogene-Induced Senescence: Methods and Protocols represents a valuable asset for a wide audience of medical oncologists and researchers in the fields of oncology, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, and animal development.

We present an in-depth description of resistance to targeted therapies in breast cancer. Targeted therapies discussed here include those used to treat ER+ or Her2+ breast cancers (i.e., Tamoxifen or trastuzumab) or those targeting signaling pathways aberrantly activated in triple negative breast cancer (i.e., EGFR and Wnt signaling). We have also provided an overview of standard of care as an introduction into the importance of targeted therapy. It is our hope that this volume gives an insight into the landscape of breast cancer treatment, the challenges of targeted therapy, and a glimpse into the future of breast cancer therapy.

This essential volume comprehensively discusses redox-active therapeutics, focusing particularly on their molecular design, mechanistic, pharmacological and medicinal aspects. The first section of the book describes the basic aspects of the chemistry and biology of redox-active drugs and includes a brief overview of the redox-based pathways involved in cancer and the medical aspects of redox-active drugs, assuming little in the way of prior knowledge. Subsequent sections and chapters describe more specialized aspects of central nervous system injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, pain, radiation injury and radioprotection (such as of brain, lungs, head and neck and erectile function) and neglected diseases (e.g., leishmaniasis). It encompasses several major classes of redox-active experimental therapeutics, which include porphyrins, salens, nitrones, and most notably metal-containing (e.g., Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sb) drugs as either single compounds or formulations with nanomaterials and quantum dots. Numerous illustrations, tables and figures enhance and complement the text; extensive references to relevant literature are also included. Redox-Active Therapeutics is an invaluable addition to Springer's Oxidative Stress in Applied Basic Research and Clinical Practice series. It is essential reading for researchers, clinicians and graduate students interested in understanding and exploring the Redoxome-the organism redox network-as an emerging frontier in drug design, redox biology and medicine.

Cancer Epidemiology in Asian Americans is a comprehensive volume that provides the most current research on cancer etiology within this fast growing population sub-group in the United States. The book explores epidemiologic methods that are typically used in migrant studies, providing descriptive epidemiology of cancer patterns separately in Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and other Asian ethnic groups including Asian Indians, Koreans, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asians. A major focus of the volume provides reviews of analytic risk factors for specific cancer sites including lung, colorectal, prostate, breast, liver and more. These chapters aim to explain the increases or decreases in incidence rates of various cancers upon migration, paying attention to changing risk factor prevalence, the importance of timing of exposures, and other co-factors important in the etiology of these cancers. Genetic determinants and gene-environment relationships associated with specific cancers are also discussed.. This first of its kind volume that is devoted to studies of cancer in Asian Americans provides a foundation to better understanding of environmental and lifestyle causes of cancer in this group, identifying gaps in our knowledge, and potential strategies for prevention.

This book discusses the aspects of haploidentical transplants and will shed light on the debates and questions on this burgeoning field and timely topic. Donor selection, graft failure, minimal CD34+ cell requirement, and conditioning regimens used for haploidentical transplants will be written by expert authors dealing with this type of transplants. Approximately one third of the books' chapters cover logic and basic aspects; the remaining two thirds of the book discuss clinical aspects, outcomes, and future perspectives, thus providing a comphrensive discussion of the topic. Haploidentical transplantation is extremely timely, rapidly-changing area and increasing its use will decrease the need for time-consuming, expensive, unrelated donor search. Moreover, Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation brings a set of clear answers to questions of feasibility, advantages over unrelated transplants, cost effectivity and outcome..

This monograph, written by well renowned breast cancer expect, Dr. Jose Russo, provides new insight on the pathobiology of breast cancer from the most current advances in the field, translational research, initiation and progression of the disease, the mechanism of invasion and metastasis and the concept of stem cells in treatment and drug resistance. The role of personalized medicine and genomic testing are also explored, which will provide a window to the future progress of cancer care.

This detailed volume presents protocols for advancing the utility of nanotechnology in cancer research toward improving our understanding of cancer biology, prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. There are continuous new discoveries in the field of nanotechnology, thus creating new imaging systems or therapies, and this book focuses on how to employ certain discoveries for studying cancer by presenting principles along with techniques to allow for the transformation of any new discoveries in the field into cancer-studying tools with the hope of bringing in the involvement of biomedical scientists who can enhance the speed of discoveries toward cancer diagnosis and therapy. 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 laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and motivating, Cancer Nanotechnology: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal resource for biomedical scientists interested in the potential of this field as well as for physical scientists and engineers interested in employing nanotechnology in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

This book presents a systematic overview of the most relevant nanomaterials and their respective intrinsic properties that have been highly explored by the scientific community and pharmaceutical companies in several different modalities for cancer therapy and bioimaging. The chapters explore the synergistic effects provided by the different nanostructured materials and highlight the main in vitro and in vivo therapeutic achievements on cancer. This work also provides relevant discussion about the recent progresses and future challenges that nanotechnology faces on the conception of more efficient nanoformulations against primary tumors, circulating cancer cells and metastases.

This book is a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of pre-malignant disease, emphasizing common themes in the field, including stem cell biology and histologic modes of cancer progression between the distal esophagus and stomach. Its sixteen chapters discuss metaplastic tissue change in the upper GI, clonalexpansion of early neoplasia, stem cell dynamics in experimental models, pathology of early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, therapeutic modalities for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, pathology of Barrett's esophagus, screening, early detection and novel diagnostic tools for Barrett's esophagus, clonal evolution of Barrett's esophagus, endoscopic therapeutic modalities of early esophageal cancer, pathology of early gastric cancer, and experimental models for gastric cancer. Stem Cells, Pre-neoplasia and Early Cancer of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract is an integrative text on both the current state of translational research on every cancer development of the upper gastrointestinal tract as well as on novel clinical diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. It highlights a rapidly growing field within cancer research and is essential reading for oncologists, biochemists and advanced graduate students alike. Springer's Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology series presents multidisciplinary and dynamic findings in the broad fields of experimental medicine and biology. The wide variety in topics it presents offers readers multiple perspectives on a variety of disciplines including neuroscience, microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, biomedical engineering and cancer research.

This thesis explores several interdisciplinary topics at the border of theoretical physics and biology, presenting results that demonstrate the power of methods from statistical physics when applied to neighbouring disciplines. From birth-death processes in switching environments to discussions on the meaning of quasi-potential landscapes in high-dimensional spaces, this thesis is a shining example of the efficacy of interdisciplinary research. The fields advanced in this work include game theory, the dynamics of cancer, and invasion of mutants in resident populations, as well as general contributions to the theory of stochastic processes. The background material provides an intuitive introduction to the theory and applications of stochastic population dynamics, and the use of techniques from statistical physics in their analysis. The thesis then builds on these foundations to address problems motivated by biological phenomena.

The book conveys a comprehensive knowledge of long and short ncRNAs in cancer regulation and their potentials as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Topics covered include the molecular mechanisms of various classes of ncRNAs (with emphasis on long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs) in cancer, the functional roles of ncRNAs in regulating different cancer hallmarks (including proliferation, apoptosis, stem-cell properties, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metabolism, angiogenesis, tumor-host interactions and therapeutic resistance), the role of ncRNAs in regulating cancer signaling circuitry programs (highlighting their involvement in c-myc, p53 and NFkB signaling), a systemic summary of clinical and preclinical studies that evaluate the potential of ncRNA signatures for cancer diagnosis and prognosis and strategies to delivery short ncRNAs as therapeutic molecules for cancer treatment. This book may serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers, graduate students and oncologists in ncRNA and cancer research and help drug development by identifying ncRNA targets.

This book covers core and emerging in vitro and in vivo protocols used to study how various components of the tumor microenvironment are established and subsequently interact with tumor cells to facilitate carcinogenesis. In addition, the book examines research topics including cellular and molecular biology approaches, in vivo genetic approaches, various "omics"-based strategies, therapeutic strategies to target the microenvironment, and, finally, advanced techniques in the fields of tissue engineering and nanotechnology. Written and validated in the laboratories of a number of trusted collaborating authors for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters contain 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. Practical and authoritative, The Tumor Microenvironment: Methods and Protocols constitutes a compendium of techniques now available to a broad audience, including basic and clinician scientists, systems biologists, and biological engineers.

This volume highlights the molecular and cellular methods used in studying Chronic Myeloid Leukimia (CML) pathogenesis and stem cell biology. 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 cutting-edge, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.