The diagnostic and therapeutic achievements in radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine instrumentation - PET, SPECT, MR, CT and their hypbrids PET-CT and SPECT-CT - are the result of the interdisciplinary research efforts of cell-biologists, chemists, pharmacologists, physicists, computer-scientists, engineers, nuclear medicine physicians, and oncologists. The clinical implications of these achievements have made nuclear medicine indispensable in the management of cancer. This superbly illustrated text on modern nuclear medicine applications in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer describes the state of the art and the current position of nuclear medicine in the light of these recent developments. It is intended as a valuable update also for non-nuclear medicine specialists working in oncology. Nuclear medicine as part of molecular imaging and therapy has changed radically in the last decade. The growing importance and clinical impact of these changes in the near future has impelled the internationallyrenowned editors and contributors to put them on record in "Advances in Nuclear Oncology,"

There can never be enough material in the public domain about cancers, and particularly breast cancer. This book adds much to the literature. It provides general information on breast cancer management and considers all new methods of diagnosis and therapy. It focuses on nuclear medicine modalities by comparing their results with other diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The coverage provides readers with up-to-date knowledge on breast cancer as well as information on the advances in the field of diagnosis. It also details data on the development of some new modalities and provides a general overview of the available tools for breast cancer treatment.

This book offers an updated review of malignant mesothelioma, including the latest advances in our understanding of its genetic control and molecular biology, as well as pre-clinical and clinical research. It also presents state-of-the-art diagnostic approaches and therapeutic options, and an open discussion on the future prospects for patient management. Malignant mesothelioma is an enormous global health problem related to asbestos exposure. Despite the best efforts of scientists and oncologists, the prognosis for those affected remains poor. Due to anatomical characteristics and non-specific symptoms, the diagnosis of mesothelioma at an early stage is often difficult, while surgery and radiotherapy are only of limited use, even if some multimodality approaches seem promising. In turn, medical treatments are sometimes successful in tumor control, but have little impact on overall survival. However, advances in our understanding of the disease's biology, together with the availability of new drugs and combinations, make mesothelioma an essential and highly topical field for pre-clinical and clinical studies. This book is subdivided into four parts: epidemiology and preclinical data, diagnosis, therapy, and extrathoracic mesothelioma. It highlights the progress made in a variety of areas - e.g. in vitro and in vivo experimental models, genetics, environment, biomarkers, targeting agents, immunotherapy, metabolic imaging and ongoing clinical trials - and describes the standard clinical management of mesothelioma patients, including those with extra-thoracic localizations. Given its scope, the book offers an invaluable tool for researchers, oncologists and clinicians alike.