This book brings together the most important papers presented during the 3rdInternational Congress on Neo-adjuvant Chemotherapy. It offers a panoramic view of the international experience of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. In upper respiratory/gastrointestinal tumours neo-adjuvant chemotherapy has an essential role in the conservation of the larynx, and benefits regarding survival are becoming apparent. In breast tumours it allows conservative treatment in more than 80% of cases, with improved relapse-free survival. In lung cancers, particularly epidermoid carcinomas, intervention is possible in inoperable cases. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy assists local control measures and allows less mutilating forms of treatment in oesophageal carcinomas and generally in epidermoid carcinomas, particularly invasive tumours of thehead and neck, the vulva and the anus. In bladder tumours neo-adjuvant chemotherapy has an important role in local therapy. In these fields research is aimed at improving the efficacy of treatment while bypassing tumour resistance mechanisms. The methods include metabolic manipulation (PFL), intensification of the doses, the use of growth factors and autologous grafts, increasing the concentration at the tumour site by intra-arterial injection (a technique particularly used for gastrointestinal tumours), and combining chemotherapy with biological response modifiers. All these topics form the subject of chapters in this book, which should direct the reader towards better and more effective therapeutic strategies.

Imaging techniques are often called upon in oncology in virtue of their essential role in tumor diagnosis, extension work up to various organs and detection of relapse. They are also indispensable in research and in clinical practice, allowing an objective assessment of tumoral regression in patients undergoing treatment. It is currently impossible to establish the management plan of a cancer patient or to obtain follow-up of such a patient under treatment without clinical and imaging confrontation.

The subject of this book is the study of the relative roles of CT and MRI for all tumors; by contrast comparison with clinical results, the respective indications for these techniques are clarified, in term of diagnosis treatment planning and survey with educational presentation of radiologic signs.

This is the third volume of our series Progress in Anti-Cancer Chemo therapy. Following the strategy of the first two volumes, it covers selected aspects of progress in this fast moving field of Oncology, with contribu tions from some of the world's best known leaders in both basic and clin ical research. This year we focused on seven areas: Three prominent Clinical investigators reviewed conceptual advances in cancer research. Dr Buzdar presented a history and overview of the protection of human subjects who participate in clinical research, and the mechanisms developed to assure the ethical conduct of research on human beings. Frei reviewed an exciting and rapidly moving area of che motherapy of solid tumors, including a cogent discussion of the issues related to dose-intensification. Fisher summarized conceptual advances in our therapeutic approach to breast cancer and the paradigm shifts that lead us to our current management strategies. From this summary he pro jected breast cancer research into the future, a daunting task under any circumstance. Fundamental research in cancer biology has been responsible for our improved understanding of the development and progession of malignant disease. Such understanding will lead to improved diagnosis, therapy, and eventually, prevention. Isaacs reviews the area of hereditary breast cancer, a topic undergoing rapid transformation and with mUltiple impli cations in the daily practice of medicine. Fidler, an international expert in metastasis research reviews the potential utility of angiogenesis inhib itors in research and the therapeutic ramifications."

This is the fourth volume of our series Progress in Anti-cancer Therapy. For the past four years we have taken the challenge to select each year, some of the most interesting topics on the wide field of oncology. As usual, this volume continues the tradition and covers five cancers (breast, prostate, bladder, lym phoma and ovarian), the role of HIV and HTLV in cancer, as well as some deve lopmental pharmacology and behavioral issues. This year, we have particularly focused our attention on one of the most com mon (although rarely addressed) cancer accounting for more than 315,00 newly diagnosed cases and 41,000 cancer-related deaths annually (Landis SH et al., 1999): prostate cancer. Five chapters address some of the issues concerning this disease. The chap ter by Schroder describes the hopes and pitfalls of early detection of prostate cancer. It reviews the literature on screening studies that have been performed both in the US and in Europe. These studies suggest that cancer mortality could be reduced by screening for prostate cancer, mostly through PSA testing. However, the effectiveness of early detection still needs to be definitely confir med and ongoing randomized studies are described, the results of which will probably help the medical community determine the worth of PSA-based scree ning for prostate cancer. On the same hand, the paper from von Eschenbach is reviewing the clinical problems that are related this disease."

This book presents the Proceedings of the Second International Congress on Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy which took place on 19 to 21 February 1988 in Paris.