Metaheuristic algorithms are considered as generic optimization tools that can solve very complex problems characterized by having very large search spaces. Metaheuristic methods reduce the effective size of the search space through the use of effective search strategies. Book Features: Provides a unified view of the most popular metaheuristic methods currently in use Includes the necessary concepts to enable readers to implement and modify already known metaheuristic methods to solve problems Covers design aspects and implementation in MATLAB (R) Contains numerous examples of problems and solutions that demonstrate the power of these methods of optimization The material has been written from a teaching perspective and, for this reason, this book is primarily intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students of artificial intelligence, metaheuristic methods, and/or evolutionary computation. The objective is to bridge the gap between metaheuristic techniques and complex optimization problems that profit from the convenient properties of metaheuristic approaches. Therefore, engineer practitioners who are not familiar with metaheuristic computation will appreciate that the techniques discussed are beyond simple theoretical tools, since they have been adapted to solve significant problems that commonly arise in such areas.

Metaheuristic algorithms are considered as generic optimization tools that can solve very complex problems characterized by having very large search spaces. Metaheuristic methods reduce the effective size of the search space through the use of effective search strategies. Book Features: Provides a unified view of the most popular metaheuristic methods currently in use Includes the necessary concepts to enable readers to implement and modify already known metaheuristic methods to solve problems Covers design aspects and implementation in MATLAB (R) Contains numerous examples of problems and solutions that demonstrate the power of these methods of optimization The material has been written from a teaching perspective and, for this reason, this book is primarily intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students of artificial intelligence, metaheuristic methods, and/or evolutionary computation. The objective is to bridge the gap between metaheuristic techniques and complex optimization problems that profit from the convenient properties of metaheuristic approaches. Therefore, engineer practitioners who are not familiar with metaheuristic computation will appreciate that the techniques discussed are beyond simple theoretical tools, since they have been adapted to solve significant problems that commonly arise in such areas.

This book includes two objectives. The first goal is to present advances and developments which have proved to be effective in their application to several complex problems. The second objective is to present the performance comparison of various metaheuristic techniques when they face complex optimization problems. The material has been compiled from a teaching perspective. Most of the problems in science, engineering, economics, and other areas can be translated as an optimization or a search problem. According to their characteristics, some problems can be simple that can be solved by traditional optimization methods based on mathematical analysis. However, most of the problems of practical importance in engineering represent complex scenarios so that they are very hard to be solved by using traditional approaches. Under such circumstances, metaheuristic has emerged as the best alternative to solve this kind of complex formulations. This book is primarily intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Engineers and application developers can also benefit from the book contents since it has been structured so that each chapter can be read independently from the others, and therefore, only potential interesting information can be quickly available for solving an industrial problem at hand.

This book includes two objectives. The first goal is to present advances and developments which have proved to be effective in their application to several complex problems. The second objective is to present the performance comparison of various metaheuristic techniques when they face complex optimization problems. The material has been compiled from a teaching perspective. Most of the problems in science, engineering, economics, and other areas can be translated as an optimization or a search problem. According to their characteristics, some problems can be simple that can be solved by traditional optimization methods based on mathematical analysis. However, most of the problems of practical importance in engineering represent complex scenarios so that they are very hard to be solved by using traditional approaches. Under such circumstances, metaheuristic has emerged as the best alternative to solve this kind of complex formulations. This book is primarily intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Engineers and application developers can also benefit from the book contents since it has been structured so that each chapter can be read independently from the others, and therefore, only potential interesting information can be quickly available for solving an industrial problem at hand.

This volume presents the MD Anderson experience in providing care and services to the rapidly growing number of cancer survivors who now number an estimated 12 million in the United States and more than 25 million worldwide. With increased rates of cancer survival has slowly come the recognition that the challenges faced by people with cancer do not end with treatment but change. The book aims to assist community oncologists, physicians, and their staffs, who care for the vast majority of the growing number of cancer survivors, by disseminating models for surveillance for disease recurrence, screening for second primary cancers, education regarding potential late effects of treatment, and access to psychosocial counseling that have proven valuable to cancer survivors who receive care at The MD Anderson Cancer Center.

This unique book provides a retrospective analysis of the changes in survival outcomes at the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center over the past six decades. Since opening its doors in 1944, M.D. Anderson has kept a continuous, uninterrupted data repository of the treatment and outcomes of each of its patients. It is this visionary database from the center s tumor registry which makes this groundbreaking book possible. Tracking results across time, this book shows radical shifts in outcomes trends, where great progress has been made, and where there is still a long way to go, and offers a snapshot into the parallel history of developments in care. Such data is crucial to informing how patients are counseled, how treatment decisions are determined, and how prognoses are made.

"60 Years of Survival Outcomes at the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center" is the only book to concurrently present longitudinal data on survival outcomes across the spectrum of rare and common cancers. Each chapter deals with a specific disease site, discussing current management approaches and presenting key data replete with illustrative charts, graphs, and tables. With the resources available only to the practitioners at this inimitable institution, this book heralds a cornerstone moment in the study of survival outcomes and the depth of our knowledge of cancer care. "

Fernando Cabanillas In 1993, Fisher et al. published the results of a randomized trial comparing three third-generation regimens against the classic CHOP combination. For several years, the oncology community had been convinced that the third generation regimens were clearly superior to CHOP. It came as a shock to many that there was no difference in outcome between the four arms of this clinical trial. The logical conclusion is that CHOP is as good as any of the other regimens tested in that study. Unfortunately, this excellent study has been misinterpreted by many as proving that there has not been any progress in the field of lymphoma during the last 20 years. Furthermore, it has led to a fatalistic attitude in the reasoning of many clinicians who feel that 'nothing works better than CHOP' and therefore that it is not worth testing new drugs or developing novel regimens. However, the process by which we move forward in the oncology field is seldom by dramatic breakthroughs. Frequently, what appears at first glance to be a breakthrough turns out later to be just a modest step forward. Several steps forward eventually add up to a major advance, but this advance goes unnoticed because of the slow nature of the process. In this volume, we have chosen to discuss several of these steps, which we feel are clearly making a positive impact on the field of lymphomas and which soon should make a major difference in therapeutic results."

Fernando Cabanillas In 1993, Fisher et al. published the results of a randomized trial comparing three third-generation regimens against the classic CHOP combination. For several years, the oncology community had been convinced that the third generation regimens were clearly superior to CHOP. It came as a shock to many that there was no difference in outcome between the four arms of this clinical trial. The logical conclusion is that CHOP is as good as any of the other regimens tested in that study. Unfortunately, this excellent study has been misinterpreted by many as proving that there has not been any progress in the field of lymphoma during the last 20 years. Furthermore, it has led to a fatalistic attitude in the reasoning of many clinicians who feel that 'nothing works better than CHOP' and therefore that it is not worth testing new drugs or developing novel regimens. However, the process by which we move forward in the oncology field is seldom by dramatic breakthroughs. Frequently, what appears at first glance to be a breakthrough turns out later to be just a modest step forward. Several steps forward eventually add up to a major advance, but this advance goes unnoticed because of the slow nature of the process. In this volume, we have chosen to discuss several of these steps, which we feel are clearly making a positive impact on the field of lymphomas and which soon should make a major difference in therapeutic results."

This unique book provides a retrospective analysis of the changes in survival outcomes at the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center over the past six decades. Since opening its doors in 1944, M.D. Anderson has kept a continuous, uninterrupted data repository of the treatment and outcomes of each of its patients. It is this visionary database from the center's tumor registry which makes this groundbreaking book possible. Tracking results across time, this book shows radical shifts in outcomes trends, where great progress has been made, and where there is still a long way to go, and offers a snapshot into the parallel history of developments in care. Such data is crucial to informing how patients are counseled, how treatment decisions are determined, and how prognoses are made. 60 Years of Survival Outcomes at the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is the only book to concurrently present longitudinal data on survival outcomes across the spectrum of rare and common cancers. Each chapter deals with a specific disease site, discussing current management approaches and presenting key data replete with illustrative charts, graphs, and tables. With the resources available only to the practitioners at this inimitable institution, this book heralds a cornerstone moment in the study of survival outcomes and the depth of our knowledge of cancer care.

Handbook of Cancer Survivorship Care serves as a practical and concise guide for the multidisciplinary management of cancer survivors. Each chapter is authored by a team consisting of a seasoned oncologist and an experienced practitioner who provides direct services in survivorship care. Chapters reflect the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and cover the high-yield pearls and clinical applications that lead to quality patient care outcomes. Part One discusses the basic concepts of survivorship care, models of care, and clinical tools while addressing late and long-term effects of treatment, screening methods for secondary or recurring tumors, and prevention of disease relapse. Part Two includes chapters on cancers commonly seen in community practices, such as breast, prostate, lymphoma, colorectal and many more. Each chapter in Part Two provides clinical pearls and disease-specific background, a guide to disease surveillance, instructions for monitoring late effects, early detection tips, and information on psychosocial health, all to better direct clinical assessment and management. With cancer survivors an increasing segment of the healthcare population and survivorship care rapidly evolving, it is paramount that oncologists and other care providers are up-to-date on the clinical strategies, interventions, and recommendations for follow up care. As a pocket-sized, quick reference, Handbook of Cancer Survivorship Care is an indispensable resource for any health care provider seeing patients in remission; it covers the must-know points of clinical management and successfully carries over cutting-edge expertise into clinical practice whether it is used at the bedside or in the clinic. Key Features: Includes practical guidance on challenging areas such as addressing psychosocial issues, establishing screening and prevention strategies, managing late effects in cancer survivors and many more Easy-to-read outline format makes referencing in the clinical setting quick and convenient Practical Clinical Vignettes with Self-Assessment Q&A accompany each chapter in Part Two Clinical pearls highlight survivorship guidelines and their application Provides management guidelines and detailed disease surveillance strategies for site specific cancers Includes digital access to the e-book