Fundamentals of Cancer Epidemiology


Book Description

Public Health




Ecology and Evolution of Cancer


Book Description

Ecology and Evolution of Cancer is a timely work outlining ideas that not only represent a substantial and original contribution to the fields of evolution, ecology, and cancer, but also goes beyond by connecting the interfaces of these disciplines. This work engages the expertise of a multidisciplinary research team to collate and review the latest knowledge and developments in this exciting research field. The evolutionary perspective of cancer has gained significant international recognition and interest, which is fully understandable given that somatic cellular selection and evolution are elegant explanations for carcinogenesis. Cancer is now generally accepted to be an evolutionary and ecological process with complex interactions between tumor cells and their environment sharing many similarities with organismal evolution. As a critical contribution to this field of research the book is important and relevant for the applications of evolutionary biology to understand the origin of cancers, to control neoplastic progression, and to prevent therapeutic failures. - Covers all aspects of the evolution of cancer, appealing to researchers seeking to understand its origins and effects of treatments on its progression, as well as to lecturers in evolutionary medicine - Functions as both an introduction to cancer and evolution and a review of the current research on this burgeoning, exciting field, presented by an international group of leading editors and contributors - Improves understanding of the origin and the evolution of cancer, aiding efforts to determine how this disease interferes with biotic interactions that govern ecosystems - Highlights research that intends to apply evolutionary principles to help predict emergence and metastatic progression with the aim of improving therapies




Breast Cancer


Book Description

This volume provides an in-depth understanding of the biology of breast cancer, the natural history of the disease, the use of molecular markers, the interpretation of clinical trial data, and the integration of multiple therapeutic modalities. Outcomes of clinical trials and details about commonly used drug regimens, drug dosage, and the expected side effects are summarised.







The Cheating Cell


Book Description

A fundamental and groundbreaking reassessment of how we view and manage cancer When we think of the forces driving cancer, we don’t necessarily think of evolution. But evolution and cancer are closely linked because the historical processes that created life also created cancer. The Cheating Cell delves into this extraordinary relationship, and shows that by understanding cancer’s evolutionary origins, researchers can come up with more effective, revolutionary treatments. Athena Aktipis goes back billions of years to explore when unicellular forms became multicellular organisms. Within these bodies of cooperating cells, cheating ones arose, overusing resources and replicating out of control, giving rise to cancer. Aktipis illustrates how evolution has paved the way for cancer’s ubiquity, and why it will exist as long as multicellular life does. Even so, she argues, this doesn’t mean we should give up on treating cancer—in fact, evolutionary approaches offer new and promising options for the disease’s prevention and treatments that aim at long-term management rather than simple eradication. Looking across species—from sponges and cacti to dogs and elephants—we are discovering new mechanisms of tumor suppression and the many ways that multicellular life-forms have evolved to keep cancer under control. By accepting that cancer is a part of our biological past, present, and future—and that we cannot win a war against evolution—treatments can become smarter, more strategic, and more humane. Unifying the latest research from biology, ecology, medicine, and social science, The Cheating Cell challenges us to rethink cancer’s fundamental nature and our relationship to it.




Bone Cancer


Book Description

Bone Cancer, Second Edition comprehensively investigates key discoveries in the field of bone biology over the last five years that have led to the development of entirely new areas for investigation, such as therapies which combine surgery and biological approaches. The Second Edition expands on the original overview of bone cancer development (physiology and pathophysiology), with key chapters from the first edition, and offers numerous new chapters describing the new concepts of bone cancer biology and therapy, for both primary bone tumors as well as bone metastases. Each chapter has been written by internationally recognized specialists on the bone cancer microenvironment, bone metastases, osteoclast biology in bone cancer, proteomics, bone niche, circulating tumor cells, and clinical trials. Given the global prevalence of breast and prostate cancers, knowledge of bone biology has become essential for everyone within the medical and cancer research communities. Bone Cancer continues to offer the only translational reference to cover all aspects of primary bone cancer and bone metastases – from bench to bedside: development (cellular and molecular mechanisms), genomic and proteomic analyses, clinical analyses (histopathology, imaging, pain monitoring), as well as new therapeutic approaches and clinical trials for primary bone tumors and bone metastases. - Presents a comprehensive, translational source for all aspects of primary bone cancer and bone metastases in one reference work - Provides a common language for cancer researchers, bone biologists, oncologists, and radiologists to discuss bone tumors and how bone cancer metastases affects each major organ system - Offers insights to research clinicians (oncologists and radiologists) into understanding the molecular basis of bone cancer, leading to more well-informed diagnoses and treatment of tumors and metastases - Offers insights to bone biologists into how clinical observations and practices can feed back into the research cycle and, therefore, can contribute to the development of more targeted genomic and proteomic assays




Cancer


Book Description

“... Useful background information is displayed in blue boxes, and good use is made of numerous tables and diagrams... a useful book for the undergraduate medical or allied health professional...” –Oncology News, May/June 2010 This forward looking cancer biology book appeals to a wide ranging audience. Introductory chapters that provide the molecular, cellular, and genetic information needed to comprehend the material of the subsequent chapters bring unprepared students up to speed for the rest of the book and serve as a useful refresher for those with previous biology background. The second set of chapters focuses on the main cancers in terms of risk factors, diagnostic and treatment methods and relevant current research. The final section encompasses the immune system’s role in the prevention and development of cancer and the impact that the Human Genome Project will have on future approaches to cancer care. While best suited to non-majors cancer biology courses, the depth provided satisfies courses that combine both majors and non-majors. Also, and deliberately, the authors have incorporated relevant information on diagnosis and treatment options that lend appeal to the lay reader.




Comparative Oncology


Book Description




The Molecular Basis of Cancer


Book Description

Successfully fighting cancer starts with understanding how it begins. This thoroughly revised 3rd Edition explores the scientific basis for our current understanding of malignant transformation and the pathogenesis and treatment of cancer. A team of leading experts thoroughly explain the molecular biologic principles that underlie the diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions now being used in clinical trials and practice. Incorporating cutting-edge advances and the newest research, the book provides thorough descriptions of everything from molecular abnormalities in common cancers to new approaches for cancer therapy. Features sweeping updates throughout, including molecular targets for the development of anti-cancer drugs, gene therapy, and vaccines...keeping you on the cutting edge of your specialty. Offers a new, more user-friendly full-color format so the information that you need is easier to find. Presents abundant figures-all redrawn in full color-illustrating major concepts for easier comprehension. Features numerous descriptions of the latest clinical strategies-helping you to understand and take advantage of today’s state-of-the-art biotechnology advances.




Cancer: The Enemy from Within


Book Description

This comprehensive, ground-breaking title presents, in simplifying style, the driving and organizing principles of cancer, making this multidimensional, highly complex disease easily understandable for readers. Developed out of the renowned author’s many years of teaching a widely popular, several-hundred-student college course, this 12-chapter book begins with an account of the history of cancer as a medical and public health problem, as well as the major milestones and setbacks in the ongoing quest to understand the wide variety of cancers that continue to impact the world. Subsequent chapters then address pathogenesis, incidence and mortality statistics, risk factors, causal factors, screening challenges and victories, treatment strategies, and disease prevention approaches. This wealth of clinical information is further supplemented with socioeconomic discussions on the financial, social, ethical, technological, regulatory, political, and logistical challenges that limit progress in cancer research. A soon to be gold-standard text that thoroughly and expertly describes cancer as a composite, adaptive system, Cancer: The Enemy from Within equips and empowers all undergraduate students and graduate students to better understand this continually perplexing disease. Clinicians across all disciplines may also find this work of great interest.