Controlled and predictable interference with hormonal feed- back mechanisms has become a major direction of preclinical and clinical research. There is a steadily increasing number of hormonal pep tides detected and characterized that are re- sponsible for endo-, para-, and autocrine cellular actions. Naturally, these peptides have been studied with regard to their cell growth stimulatory action and, in parallel, the re- spective antagonists are being investigated in terms of their antiproliferative (antineoplastic) function. Among the numerous pep tides of interest in this respect, somatostatin (somatotropin release inhibitory factor) and bombesin antagonizing factors have been the topic of inten- sive research during recent years. No presentation of the role of pep tides in oncology would be complete without a compre- hensive treatise of their physiological, preclinical and clinical functions in the context of their antineoplastic mechanism of action. Somatostatin and its various short- and long-acting analogs have the unique feature of suppressing and inhibiting a wide range of cellular processes including cell proliferation. Recep- tors for these peptides, which belong in a wider sense to the family of neuropeptides or neurotransmitters, are widely dis- tributed, a feature which is not in keeping with the general view of a growth hormone regulatory system. Thus, these substances are found in the gut in a variety of endocrine and exocrine glands including breast, pancreas, and prostate, and in the nervous system.

Hormonal treatment of malignant diseases has been used for quite some years now, and progress in this field is still being made at a steady pace. The detection of new endocrine feed back loops and the availability of new classes of hormonal agents made hormonal intervention with predictable outcome possible. Besides the intellectual challenge of modulating the hormone system, an important aspect of recent research on hormones and cancer is the reduction of treatment-related morbidity achieved with the new hormonal strategies. Thus, controlled intervention in the hypothalamic-gonadotropic axis is increasingly apt to replace surgical removal of the relevant glands, i. e., the pituitary gland or the gonads. In the same way as, for example, aromatase inhibitors are being used as a substitute for adrenalectomy. The concept that secretion of hypothalamic gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), pituitary gonadotropins, and sex steroids are regulated via negative and positive feedback loops is based on the pioneering work of Hohlweg and Harris some 40 years ago. In 1971, a breakthrough was achieved with the isolation, structural analysis, and synthesis of the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH), or GnRH as it is now more appropriately termed, since it provokes the secretion of both gonadotropins, LH and FSH, and since then the progress made in this area of research has been remarkable. Both ago nists and antagonists of LH-RH have been synthesized and extensively studied in preclinical and clinical settings."

Interference with protein-mediated intra- and intercellular pathways has become a major goal of preclinical and clinical research. A ,rapidly increasing numBer of peptides are known to be responsible for endo-, para-and autocrine sig- nal transduction. These peptides and their receptors have been studied with regard to their cell growth stimulatory ac- tion and their impact on differentiation. In parallel, peptide antagonists are being investigated in terms of their potential role in preclinical and clinical application. Thus, biotherapy might improve the clinical outcome of patients with tumors that respond to the respective hormonal manipulation. Among the numerous peptides of interest somatostatin (somatotropin release inhibitory factor) and the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) have been the topic of intensive research during recent years. In this third vol- ume of peptides in oncology, experts in the field exten- sively review and update the mechanisms of action of so- matostatin and LH -RH -analogues in oncology. Somatostatin and its various short-and long-acting ana- logues have the unique feature of suppressing and inhibit- ing a wide range of cellular processes including cell prolif- eration. Receptors for these peptides which belong to the family of neuropeptides or neurotransmitters, are widely distributed, a feature which is not in keeping with the gen- eral view of a growth hormone regulatory system. LH -RH analogues play an established role in curative (adjuvant) and palliative treatment of hormone sensitive tumors.

Der Erfolg einer onkologischen Therapie hangt wesentlich von der Kenntnis der moglichen Nebenwirkungen ab. Dieses Wissen steht Ihnen jetzt schnell griffbereit in dieser einzigartigen Zusammenstellung zur Verfugung.
In ubersichtlicher Tabellenform, mit zweisprachiger Systematik Deutsch/Englisch und praktischen Formblattern hilft Ihnen dieses handliche Taschenbuch
o die Qualitat verschiedener Therapieverfahren gezielt zu beurteilen,
o Nebenwirkungen prazise zu erfassen und exakt zu dokumentieren,
o mit diesen Daten Ihre Therapie-Entscheidungen schnell, flexibel und patientengerecht zu treffen.
"Aus dem Geleitwort" ..".Daher wunschen wir diesem Werk eine weite Verbreitung im deutschsprachigen Raum. Es sollte im Interesse unserer Patienten von allen onkologisch Tatigen regelmassig in Praxis, Klinik und Forschung genutzt werden. Jeder an dieser Thematik verantwortlich Beteiligte wird es bei seiner taglichen Arbeit als wertvoll und immer unverzichtbarer ansehen." (M. Bamberg, Tubingen; R.-P. Muller, Koln; K. Hoffken, Jena; Th. Junginger, Mainz; P. Hermanek, Erlangen)
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