Oncology
New Releases from Elsevier
New Releases from McGraw-Hill
New Releases from Wiley
New Titles In Oncology From Elsevier
THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF CANCER. 4th Edition. John Mendelsohn. Peter Howley. Mark Israel. Joe Gray. Craig Thompson. Saunders.
Cover courtesy of Elsevier.
The complexities of cancer, specifically, its ability to disarm the body and turn it against itself, have mystified practitioners for centuries as physicians struggle to understand just how once-healthy cells transform into malignant armies. Here, the authors (led by Mendelsohn from the University of Texas) do a masterful job of delineating the molecular biologic principles of cancer. Accordingly, the reader is able to clearly see why the diagnostic protocols and treatment therapies now in use have evolved into the current standard of care. Topics of coverage include the genetics of cancer; tumor suppressor genes; infectious agents and cancer; environmental carcinogenesis; cancer biology; cancer stem cells; inflammation and cancer; stromal-cancer interactions in the micro-environment; and molecular pathology and diagnostics. The authors are careful to provide in depth summary of the molecular abnormalities that are prevalent in common cancers as they discuss new approaches to treatment therapies – the idea to take this cutting edge research and apply it directly to patient care and the clinical setting. This edition is noteworthy for the detail it provides regarding advancements in the realms of cancer genomes and molecular pathology.
Suggested Reading In Oncology
ABELOFF’S CLINICAL ONCOLOGY. 5th Edition. John Niederhuber. James Armiage. James Doroshow. Michael Kastan. Joel Tepper. Saunders.
Cover courtesy of Elsevier.
This serves as the literal bible of clinical oncology, surveying the whole of cancer diagnosis and patient management. Comprehensive in tone and scope, with data designed to augment care provided by radiologists, surgeons, clinicians and the front-line nursing staff.
RADIATION ONCOLOGY – Rationale, Technique, Results. James Cox. Kie Kian. Mosby.
Cover courtesy of Elsevier.
This guide reviews the latest methods in place for using radiotherapy in cancer treatment. Includes discussion of treatment protocols/strategies for cancers in each independent organ system.
by John Aiello
Winter 2014 From Elsevier
BREAST MRI. Virginia Molleran. Mary Mahoney. Saunders.
Image courtesy of Elsevier.
This one-of-a-kind imaging text is dedicated to in depth exploration of the breast MRI – a diagnostic tool vital to the detection of breast cancer. Topics of coverage include screening for cancer via the breast MRI; MRI features of invasive disease; high-risk findings in the breast MRI; and benign findings in breast MRI. By devoting the entire text to one topic, Molleran insures that the reader’s attention stays focused on this deeply layered area of radiology.
CANCER (Principles and Practice of Oncology). In Two Volumes. Vincent T. De Vita, Jr. Samuel Hellman. Steven A. Rosenberg. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.
This volume is known throughout the world as the definitive resource on the treatment of cancer. In its current sixth edition, it marks the finest reference text on oncology currently available to both physicians and classroom instructors. This textbook is comprehensive in scope and covers all points of the disease, addressing the affliction of cancer from a deeply detailed molecular perspective; from this point, the authors are able to show how advances in the investigation of molecular biology and cancer can assist the clinician in diagnosis and treatment approaches.
There are many note worthy things about this volume, but what really sets it apart from other books in the field is the way De Vita, Hellman and Rosenberg are careful to address cutting edge topics like cancer vaccines and prevention – the idea here is to note that the physician’s role is not only to treat the sick but to also take definite steps to avoid the incidence of disease altogether. The inclusion of these topics cannot be under-stated, as most textbooks of this kind tend to omit such information. In addition, Cancer includes analysis of cancer management, molecular pathology, cancer and genetics, drug therapy and symptom relief. Well- written and meticulously edited, this book is simply the authority on the topic of oncology.
Recommended to all cancer specialists. Also for internists who treat patients at high risk for the development of cancer. Further recommended for all Health Science libraries as a general reference text.
Order from booksmd.com or go to Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.
NUTRITION AND CANCER PREVENTION. Edited by Atif B. Awad; Peter G. Bradford. CRC Press.
Recent research shows that there is indeed a direct correlation between what we eat and certain forms of cancer (namely colon, breast and prostate cancers). Here, editors Awad and Bradford (State University of New York) stitch together the contributions of leading experts in the field who examine the role of nutrition in helping to forestall the onset of cancer. The authors here dissect the material in classic fashion, always looking for the elements of scientific evidence that elevate their premises and hypotheses. This treatise centers itself around the fact that certain classes of micronutrients appear to be able to strengthen the cell structure, allowing the body to then “resist” the birth of a cancer (these micronutrients include vitamins; minerals; phytosterols; polyphenols; isothiocyanates; and specialized dietary lipids). Furthermore, the authors are careful to note just what food sources hold these beneficial nutrients, in addition to documenting each micronutrient’s role in limiting inflammation and impeding tumor growth. The concluding chapters in the manual look at what risk factors increase the likelihood of cancer (risk-factors like obesity and alcoholism which seem to sharply weaken the body’s natural ability to keep cells in check, in turn leaving organs susceptible to tumor growth).
Recommended to all oncologists and researchers who are seeking to explore the link between cancer and nutrition. Noted for the depth of information presented which serves to document the correlation between certain classes of micronutrients and the body’s ability to fight the onset of cancer. Also recommended to Health Science libraries for its rich and long-term reference value.
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by John Aiello
CANCER PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT THROUGH EXERCISE AND WEIGHT CONTROL. Edited by Anne McTiernan. CRC Press.
According to estimates by the American Cancer Society, one third of all cancer deaths can be prevented by keeping body weight within acceptable guidelines and by exercising multiple times each week. As the Awad /Bradford text (reviewed above) notes, there is a corollary between nutrition and a decrease in tumor growth. Accordingly, these discoveries have forged a new set of roads: Now, people don’t have to just wait for cancer to strike and then hope it can be treated. Instead, individuals can work directly to prevent the onset of disease by 1) avoiding obesity; and 2) by implementing a regular exercise regimen. This volume in one of the only of its kind dedicated to helping healthcare providers establish a concrete plan allowing patients to control weight gain through exercise in order to forestall cancer. Expert researchers do an outstanding job delineating this material within a logical framework, looking at ways that physical activity impacts the incidence of cancer in the breast, prostate and colorectal regions (before moving on to examine obesity’s effect on a cancer prognosis in light of regular physical activity). The idea behind this text is for the cancer patient (or those predisposed to cancer) to seek out an “energy balance” through a combination of diet and exercise – a plan of attack which will strengthen the mechanisms of the body in natural and wholesome ways. The research presented in McTiernan’s text is truly ground-breaking, as it promotes a step away from drug-based therapies in favor of a more holistic approach to mitigating cancer risks. Bluntly, it’s a message those practicing medicine in the Western world should pay close and careful attention to.
Recommended to all primary care physicians (in addition to dieticians and nurse practitioners) who serve as a patient’s first-line of defense against disease. In addition, this volume is highly recommended to all Health Science libraries because of its well-detailed and erudite examination of the influence physical activity has on the processes of cancer.
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by John Aiello
CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT. Edited by Peter G. Shields. Taylor and Francis.
Dr. Shields, who holds multiple positions at the Georgetown Medical Center in Washington D.C. (including Program Director for Cancer Genetics and Epidemiology), has compiled a text with the dedicated purpose of assessing the risk for cancer in both individuals and groups. However, this is much easier said then done. In reality,it takes a relativeamount of practical expertise on the part of the researcher/pathologist/internist/oncologist in order to determine who is more likely to emerge with cancer. In order to accomplish this goal, physicians must analyze etiologic agents in relation to the environment while noting the rate of human exposure before they can draw a plausible conclusion. Still, before this process can ever begin, the physician has to first understand just how cancer develops and the reasons why certain agents attack cells and instigate tumor growth. Cancer Risk Assessment gives health care providers a true starting point, as it confronts its subject in absolute terms. Shields and co-authors present the most current information available on the carcinogens that pose the greatest threat to the populace, further examining how these agents alter the structure of a cell and cause cancer. In addition, the authors are careful to discuss the criteria agencies use to determine which agents will be termed “human carcinogens,” thus necessitating strict regulation. Further, Shields also explores hereditary factors and the genetic influence responsible for cancer clusters in families and in specific ethnic groups. In the end, the goal of this text is singular: It’s mission to allow internists and oncology researchers the opportunity to predict which individuals are at the highest risk for malignancy and then take appropriate steps toward care/treatment.
Recommended to oncologists or internists who see a large number of cancer patients. It is also recommended to all Health Science libraries as a general reference text. Finally, would prove to be a useful teaching text in courses that look to address the causes of cancer and ways the medical community can work toward prevention.
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by John Aiello
THE CANCER HANDBOOK. In 2 Volumes. Malcom R. Alison. John Wiley.
In this handbook, readers are escorted through a comprehensive discussion of the study of cancer. Unlike some more specialized texts, this book delves to the core of cancer biology and then links this information to the clinical challenges of treatment and diagnosis. In essence, Alison strives to show his readers how this disease ‘moves,’ striving to teach students and practitioners alike that cancer is an affliction like no other (literally consuming the organs and their bodily house – attacking the sum of its parts). Accordingly, in order to effectively treat patients, doctors must develop a comprehensive understanding of ways its molecular structure can be neutralized. To this end, The Cancer Handbook is the natural starting point.
Go to wiley.com for further information.
by John Aiello
CANCER DIAGNOSTICS WITH DNA MICROARRAYS. Steen Knudsen. John Wiley.
Knudsen’s text is a ground-breaking addition to the wide realms of scientific literature. In Cancer Diagnostics, Knudsen writes about utilizing DNA Microarrays as a means to help identify diseased genes (in turn peeling away some of the mystery of how cells change and become cancerous). Knudsen’s work is extremely important to many facets of medicine, providing researchers and clinicians with another piece of ammunition to use in the course of diagnosing and treating many cancers. What’s best about Cancer Diagnostics is that it does not limit itself to cold classroom theory, but instead, speaks to ways that microarray data can directly be used in oncology diagnosis (and for the development of more efficient patient treatment plans).Readers will find Knudsen an accomplished science writer, one who is able to impart complicated information in a clear manner that does not mandate expertise in statistics or bioinformatics. As Knudsen’s text stresses, science’s role is not to limit itself to random laboratory theories, but rather to create a practical pathway that will enable doctors to alleviate patient suffering and stunt the spread of disease. Insofar as the future of cancer treatment is concerned, microarray data is likely to be the primary diagnostic tool used by oncologists across the globe.
Recommended as an in-office research tool for practicing oncologists, cancer researchers and radiologists –the best manual presently available on the use of DNA Microarrays in frontline cancer research.
by John Aiello
INFECTIONS CAUSING HUMAN CANCER. Harald zur Hausen. John Wiley.
Even though it is not widely known, nearly one in five cases of cancer results from a virus. As science proceeds forward into the 21st century, it has become imperative for researchers to keep investigating the causal links between agents of infection and tumor growth. In this fine new text, Professor Harald zur Hausen (whose ground-breaking work helped to reveal the cancer-inducing mechanisms of human papilloma viruses as related to cervical cancer) has drafted the ultimate review of the primary “carcinogenic infective agents” known to scientists (including viruses, bacteria, parasites and protozoons). In addition, zur Hausen discusses each agent’s capacity for transformation and the mechanism of action they employ to invade and destroy the normal structure of a cell.
This text is suitable as a teaching text in all advanced medicine courses that seek to explore the causal basis for cancer. In addition, practicing scientists in the realms of oncology, microbiology and molecular biology will find zur Hausen’s treatise applicable to advancing their own research.
UNDERSTANDING CARCINOGENESIS: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF CANCER. Hippokratis Kiaris. John Wiley.
Cancer remains medicine’s greatest challenge, as researchers struggle to unravel the mystery of the cancerous cell so that doctors might reverse its effects before destruction of the human body occurs. In this selection, Kiaris attempts to forge a complete understanding of the molecular basis of cancer, attempting to present researchers and healthcare providers with a road map on how a cancer is born within the body and how it slowly takes hold of a blood source to gain strength and thrive. After introductory remarks detailing basic principles on the clonality of tumors and the hypermutability of the cancer cells, the author moves into a more detailed discussion of the genetic construction of a carcinogen, including comprehensive investigation of tumor biology. Understanding Carcinogenesis is an important moment in medical publishing, for this book is driven by a mission to dissect the moment of birth as it relates to a cancerous cell: The idea here is promote a complete understanding of the layered life of a tumor so that a reliable process to halt the spread of a cancer can be developed.Understanding Carcinogenesis is an indispensable resource for all healthcare professionals involved in cancer research. Further recommended as a teaching text in advanced oncology courses that touch upon the birth the cancerous cell.
PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN CANCER, THIRD EDITION. Edited by Mary K. Gospodarowicz, Brian O’Sullivan. Leslie H. Sobin. John Wiley.
This selection records important advances in medicine’s fight to better manage the onset of cancer and enhance quality of life issues for the patient. Prognostic Factors sets forth how physicians can better evaluate case-data in order to reach a proper prognosis. Cancer cases are often unpredictable, representing the most challenging situations any doctor will encounter during the course of their day-to-day practice. Accordingly, this is one of the only textbooks of its kind to focus on the clinical methodology for evaluating prognostic factors in order to arrive at humane and effective treatments for the cancer-sick patient. Comprehensive in tone, this book provides a deep overview of site-specific tumors; the lesson: different kinds of tumors require different treatment approaches on the part of the healthcare provider. Gospodarowicz (University of Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital) discusses various topic areas here, including head and neck tumors; Digestive System tumors; lung and pleural tumors; tumors of bone, soft tissue, and skin; breast and gynecologic cancers; Urological tumors; brain and ophthalmic tumors; Hematoglic malignancies; and Pediatric tumors. The text is noted for its organization and editing as the authors speak with clarity and precision, stressing that the physician’s role will always be different at different stages of the disease (thus creating the need for an individualized course of care that can only be determined by the immediate condition of the patient).
Recommended as a primary text in courses where fellows and residents are taught how to evaluate symptoms in cancer patients. The mission of this book is to help doctors make effective prognostic decisions so as to arrive at practical and effective treatment plans.
CANCER DIAGNOSTICS WITH DNA MICROARRAYS. Steen Knudsen. John Wiley.
Knudsen’s text is a ground-breaking addition to the wide realms of scientific literature. In Cancer Diagnostics, Knudsen writes about utilizing DNA Microarrays as a means to help identify diseased genes (in turn peeling away some of the mystery of how cells change and become cancerous). Knudsen’s work is extremely important to many facets of medicine, providing researchers and clinicians with another piece of ammunition to use in the course of diagnosing and treating many cancers. What’s best about Cancer Diagnostics is that it does not limit itself to cold classroom theory, but instead, speaks to ways that microarray data can directly be used in oncology diagnosis (and for the development of more efficient patient treatment plans).Readers will find Knudsen an accomplished science writer, one who is able to impart complicated information in a clear manner that does not mandate expertise in statistics or bioinformatics. As Knudsen’s text stresses, science’s role is not to limit itself to random laboratory theories, but rather to create a practical pathway that will enable doctors to alleviate patient suffering and stunt the spread of disease. Insofar as the future of cancer treatment is concerned, microarray data is likely to be the primary diagnostic tool used by oncologists across the globe.
Recommended as an in-office research tool for practicing oncologists, cancer researchers and radiologists –the best manual presently available on the use of DNA Microarrays in frontline cancer research.
by John Aiello
CANCER SUPPORTIVE CARE. ADVANCES IN THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES. Edited by: Gary H. Lyman. Jeffery Crawford. Informa Healthcare.
For medical professionals, treatment of the cancer patient creates a plethora of challenges that require forward-thinking plans and careful consideration. In essence, treatment of the cancer patient necessitates a multiplicity of approaches to confront both physical and mental aspects of the disease.
Here, editors Lyman and Crawford have built an exceptional text that speaks to the many different elements of care for the cancer patient, with discussion of both commonly encountered symptoms and ways to manage the troubling effects of problems such as constipation, diarrhea, vomiting and depression.
Topics of coverage include how to measure patient symptoms and address health-related quality of life factors; how to assess and manage fatigue; bacterial infections in cancer patients; how to manage fungal infections in cancer patients; myeloid growth factors; venous thromboembolism and anticoagulation; skeletal complications; support and care for the older cancer patient; pain and palliation; the effective management of depression and anxiety; risk-prediction of chemotherapy-related toxicity; and introspective discussion of end-of-life care.
The text is noteworthy for its comprehensive tone and insight – rather than just analyze the scientific aspects of the disease, Lyman and Crawford are careful to also dissect relevant quality of life questions. Simply, the treatment of cancer is not only about treating the disease, it’s also about dealing with the long-term toll fear and pain take on the mind.
Accordingly, the authors whose work is collected in this volume do not ignore this – instead, they bluntly speak to the fact that doctors treating this disease owe their patients a duty to help them through all aspects of the process (including end-of-life questions for terminal individuals beyond the effective scope of treatment).
In sum, Cancer Supportive Care will go down as one of the most practical and meaningful texts to be published on the subject in recent memory.
Recommended to internists, oncologists and general practitioners who treat cancer patients. Additionally, Cancer Supportive Care is recommended to all Health Science libraries for its long-term reference value and for its ability to speak to all aspects of the oncology-treatment process.
Order from Informa Healthcare.
by John Aiello
POCKET GUIDE TO CHEMOTHERAPY PROTOCOLS. Third Edition. Edward Chu. Jones and Bartlett.
Chemotherapy is a difficult aspect of cancer treatment for most patients – this process ringed with uncertainty and discomfort now layered in fear and stigma. Consequently, administering Chemotherapy treatment has also become a difficult area for health care practitioners with which to stay current, since different kinds of cancer mandate different approaches. Here, Dr. Chu has written a practical and vital guide outlining specific aspects of Chemotherapy treatment for myriad kinds of cancer. As inferred by its title, Chemotherapy Protocols is a pocket-sized manual meant to be used in the daily care of patients: A ‘quick-carry’ reference that offers an alphabetized list of common cancers together with “the most common single-agent and combination regimens for solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.” In Chemotherapy Protocols, Dr. Chu has used his expertise to create a go-to guide for both physicians and nurses in oncology centers. However, as Chu carefully notes in his preface, even though the book offers several treatment options for attacking a tumor, it has not been designed to serve as an authoritative or all-inclusive reference on the subject. Instead, this is a field-guide, so to speak, that sets forth the core Chemotherapy Protocols one should consider in the course of designing an appropriate course of action for the individual cancer patient.
Recommended to health care providers who follow oncology patients – a well-organized and often dynamic little pocket-guide that seeks to illuminate the ever-changing face of modern cancer treatment.
by John Aiello
PANCREATIC CANCER. Daniel D. Von Hoff. Douglas B. Evans Ralph H. Hruban. Jones and Bartlett.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most pernicious and swiftestmoving of all cancers that afflict the human body (and currently ranked asthe 4th leading cause of cancer-death in America). In addition to these startling numbers, researchers presume that in the next decade the incidence of pancreatic cancer will continue to increase more rapidly than other forms of malignancy, in turn causing greater patient mortality.
In this volume, the unique perspectives of three different kinds of specialist (oncologist, cancer surgeon, pathologist) have been stitched together to build a one-of-a-kind text that serves as the comprehensive authority on cancers of the pancreatic system.
Accordingly, the unique wedding of these specialists allows the reader to peer into the labyrinth of this disease from every conceivable angle. For example, by studying the pathology of these cancers, a physician might better understand how the disease attacks the chain of organ systems and invades the cell structure. At this point, both surgical and medical-management options can be evaluated and the best course of treatment for an individual patient ascertained.
As this text carefully point outs, pancreatic cancer is a very real threat to the populous, and it will take a huge toll on America in terms of human life over the next several decades. Yet, from a practical standpoint, research into invasion of the pancreas by a neoplasm has paled in comparison to the energy and dollars we’ve invested into the exploration of prostate and breast cancers.
However, this volume by Von Hoff and his co-writers seeks to reverse this trend — its primary mission to develop a keener interest in this specific area of the body so that deeper scientific research can take place into ways to better treat patients stricken with the disease (thus naturally enriching life in terms of quality and duration).
As previously noted, the authors cover every aspect of the disease, from genetic predisposition to symptom analysis to a comprehensive summary of treatment options, presenting internist and oncologist alike with a step-by-step manual that promotes thoughtful patient care.
Simply, if we are to effectively combat this disease, the medical community as a whole must flow together to investigate the ways that cancer over-takes the pancreatic system. The goal is for science to ultimately move toward prevention. And this text provides a natural starting point.
Recommended to all oncologists and internists as an in-office reference text that comprises an authoritative reference on a growing health concern. Further recommended to all Health Science libraries as a general reference text.
BREAST CANCER ANSWERS. Understanding and Fighting Breast Cancer. Bruce A. Feinberg. Jones and Bartlett.
Jones and Bartlett’s “100 Questions Answered Series” (which we’ve touched upon on these pages before) is the ultimate patient resource addressing complex health topics in a way that the lay reader can readily understand.
Breast Cancer Answers by Dr. Feinberg (Georgia Cancer Specialists) continues this specialized editorial focus, offering a well-developed analysis of breast cancer that has been written from the point-of-view of the patient who is swimming in fear and questions, looking for straight-forward and unadorned answers.
Any diagnosis of cancer comes with a lifetime of baggage — patients just diagnosed must feel as if they’ve received a death sentence from the judge with no hope of reprieve. Unfortunately, physicians don’t have enough time to hand-hold and provide deep comfort. Like it or not, the patient is many times left to help themselves and find their own way.
But where do you go?
If you’re a woman and you’ve just received the horrible news that there’s a tumor in your breast, this book is an affordable resource that touches on every layer of the disease (priced at only $19.95 it’s the equivalent of a library on the subject).
In addition to discussion of the clinical aspects of the disease (symptoms, treatment options, long-term management), Breast Cancer Answers also tells the story of a breast cancer patient and her husband. The personalized tone of this segment is meant to tell the reader that they indeed are not alone: the lesson here is that many others have been in your place and triumphed over their burden.
Breast Cancer Answers marks a wonderful consumer resource and should be recommended by oncologists to their patients upon diagnosis. Nurse Practitioners assisting in treatment should also make recommendations to patients about this book. Finally, pharmacies that feature counter-top book racks of useful consumer titles should include this title in their inventory: it offers straight-forward discussion of a common problem and it will naturally provide comfort to the reader/patient.
CANCER SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT. Third Edition. Connie Henke Yarbro. Margaret Hansen Frogge. Michelle Goodman. Jones and Bartlett.
This selection focuses on the professional oncology nurse and ways these care-givers can mitigate the suffering of the cancer patient. There are many titles out there that intersect this subject matter, but what sets Yarbro (University of Missouri- Columbia) and her co-writers’ effort apart is in its organization and formatting. The reader will be especially impressed with the clear and logical way the chapters are delineated, with nurses counseled on symptom management/ assessment, matters of pathophysiology, patient self care and various treatment therapies. For example, there are specific chapters dedicated to Arthralgias/Myalgias, Dyspnea, fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbances. The material on patient self-care is particularly important: people are often stunned by a diagnosis of cancer and that shock often manifests itself in an unwillingness to want to care for themselves. This text does not ignore this pattern, but instead, strives to motivate nurses to teach these patients techniques of self-sufficiency. In addition to assisting with issues of daily life, this allows the cancer-sick patient to redevelop vital self-esteem.
Recommended to nursing instructors who teach courses on care for the oncology patient. Recommended to any nurse who is assigned to an oncology ward. Finally, recommended to Health Science libraries as a general reference text for the nursing shelf – everything about this book speaks to editorial quality and readability.
Of Related Interest
ONCOLOGY NURSING DRUG HANDBOOK. Gail M. Wilkes. Margaret Barton-Burke. Jones and Bartlett.
This selection serves as a vital companion to the Yarbo text (reviewed above), outlining in complete terms the steps nurses should take to administer medication to the cancer-sick patient. Believe me — everything is here, including discussion of nursing diagnoses, patient assessment, symptom evaluation, mechanism of action, dosing/metabolism, administration, as well as signs of toxicity (and side effects). Noted for its in-depth coverage on medicating the oncology patient, as well as for its inclusion of new and cutting-edge drugs (such as Abarelix).
Recommended to nurses in oncology wards as an on-the-job reference tool. Recommended to Emergency Room staffs as a reference guide for administering medication to the patient who presents because of cancer. Finally, recommended to nursing instructors who are teaching courses focused on the specialized treatment of the oncology patient (appropriate here as a supporting reference text).
BREAST PATHOLOGY – A Volume in Foundations in Diagnostic Pathology Series. Edited by Frances P. O’Malley. Sarah E. Pinder. Churchill Livingstone.
This title, also in the Foundations in Diagnostic Pathology Series, examines abnormalities that strike the breast. Recent figures show that over 40,000 women die each year die from breast cancer; with the baby boom generation beginning to reach retirement age, these figures are only likely to grow. Accordingly, it has become the responsibility of health care providers to be able to quickly note pathological changes in tissue and initiate treatment, as early detection (and aggressive action to eradicate the core-root of the cancer) has proven to be the best path to saving lives. This volume covers the most common neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions of the breast, relying heavily on illustrations (coupled with in-depth analysis) to bring the topic to multi-dimensional life. This series is a notable addition to the annals of scientific literature: Although targeted for classroom use, it is able to serve practicing physicians equally well – each installment a sound and impactive survey of pathology, surveying things that health care providers can do to detect minimal tissue change before a tumor is able to fully bloom (and begin to spread).
Recommended as a classroom text in courses that explore the intricacies of breast pathology. Further recommended to all Health Science libraries as a general reference text.
by John Aiello
PROSTATE CANCER UNDERSTANDING. Fernand Labrie. Michael Koutsilieris. Paschalidis Medial Publications (A McGraw-Hill Professional Book).
This new text addresses the affliction of prostate cancer in its entirety – -a comprehensive study of a disease that is attacking men more and more frequently today. The authors have written Prostate Cancer in a classical academic style, outlining the way this type of cancer spreads and the best ways for a physician to treat the patient after the onset of disease. However, Labrie and Koutsilieris don’t stop there; instead, they expend a great deal of effort discussing the fact that the best treatment option for this killer disease is in early detection of the cancer cells: if a doctor can begin to treat the disease before the tumor takes deep root and spreads, then the prognosis becomes more positive for the patient. As the authors point out, it is only through screening and early treatment that medicine can hope to improve the survival rate for those who fall sick with this type of cancer. In addition to these topics, prostate cancer susceptibility genes are discussed, data which can help urologists and other internists better understand the factors that make certain men more likely to present with malignancy. Well-written and impeccably researched, this is a magnificent textbook that can serve the student and practicing physician equally well. In the end, Prostate Cancer functions as both a teaching text and a treatment manual – the authors careful not to “talk down” to their readers, but instead, presenting information in an even-handed and deeply detailed manner.
As noted, the book is recommended as a teaching text in the fields of urology and urologic oncology. Further recommended as a manual for the internist or urologist to use in-office in the course of patient examinations. Finally, would be a welcome addition to all Health Science libraries as a general reference text.
Order from booksmd.com or go to mcgraw-hill.com.
CANCER (Principles and Practice of Oncology). In Two Volumes. Vincent T. De Vita, Jr. Samuel Hellman. Steven A. Rosenberg. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.
This volume is known throughout the world as the definitive resource on the treatment of cancer. In its current sixth edition, it marks the finest reference text on oncology currently available to both physicians and classroom instructors. This textbook is comprehensive in scope and covers all points of the disease, addressing the affliction of cancer from a deeply detailed molecular perspective; from this point, the authors are able to show how advances in the investigation of molecular biology and cancer can assist the clinician in diagnosis and treatment approaches.
There are many note worthy things about this volume, but what really sets it apart from other books in the field is the way De Vita, Hellman and Rosenberg are careful to address cutting edge topics like cancer vaccines and prevention – the idea here is to note that the physician’s role is not only to treat the sick but to also take definite steps to avoid the incidence of disease altogether. The inclusion of these topics cannot be under-stated, as most textbooks of this kind tend to omit such information. In addition, Cancer includes analysis of cancer management, molecular pathology, cancer and genetics, drug therapy and symptom relief. Well- written and meticulously edited, this book is simply the authority on the topic of oncology.
Recommended to all cancer specialists. Also for internists who treat patients at high risk for the development of cancer. Further recommended for all Health Science libraries as a general reference text.
Order from booksmd.com or go to Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins.
GASTROINTESTINAL ONCOLOGY. James L. Abbruzzese. Douglas B. Evans. Christopher G. Willett. Cecilia Fenoglio-Preiser. Oxford.
This fine study from the renown Oxford University Press assembles the most recent data on the subject of gastrointestinal malignancies. The text is divided into three primary sections. Section one of Gastro serves as a primer course for the subject, and covers various aspects of its epidemiology, primary screening methods (as related to early detection and prevention), as well as an introduction into treatment options. Section two provides detailed exploration of each of the cancers that afflict this region of the body, including data on managing the differing stages of disease. The remainder of the text is devoted to treatment and management of issues pertinent to gastrointestinal malignancies — with an emphasis on developinga multi-tiered approach in an effort to combat the aggressive nature of a disease that can often hit multiple organ systems at the same time. What’s best about this text is the fact that the editors (led by Abbruzzese, Chairman of the Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Department at the University of Texas) are conscious of the fact that effective cancer treatment requires the physician to fully understand the far-reaching effects of the disease. To this end, Gastro ties together expert opinion from various sub-specialties within the realm of Gastrointestinal Oncology, thus creating a truly authoritative reference that reports on the whole subject – both deeply and elegantly. Here, the reader will be able to gain an understanding of gastrointestinal cancer from a variety of angles: for instance, a surgeon is urged to investigate the medical, radiological and pathological effects of the cancer in order to better understand how invasive treatment might benefit the patient. This element is key to promoting the effective treatment of cancer, and Gastro marks a natural place for the physician to begin his journey.
Recommended as a class text in all courses teaching diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. Is an absolute must-have for all Health Science libraries as a general reference text. Lastly, is recommended as an in-office reference text for all Medical Oncologists and Oncology Radiologists.
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BATCHELOR: LYMPHOMA & THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. Tracy Batchelor. Butterworth Heinemann.
Tracy Batchelor (Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School) presents, in collaboration with 20 expert contributors, a first-rate guide on the diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma of the nervous system. This manual covers all primary implications of the disease, offering valuable discussion on symptom identification, epidemiology and neuroimaging. The text contains a wealth of information, as Batchelor breaks down this complex disorder into comprehensive chapters outlining the mine fields that the practicing physician is likely to encounter in the lymphoma patient. In depth chapters analyze diagnosis and management of both AIDS and non-AIDS associated primary central nervous system lymphoma, as well as Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Options for treatment are discussed in practical terms, as Batchelor remains careful to identify the complications inherent with radical cancer therapies. Although this text is written for the per se lymphoma specialist, there is nonetheless a chapter for the non-oncologist/primary care physician, offering insight into basic case management. Batchelor’s Lymphoma is simply the authority on the subject – an absolute requirement for oncologists across the globe.
Also highly recommended as a reference manual for all medical school libraries. Would further be a useful teaching text for the advanced Neurology/Oncology student. However, the primary focus of this guide is to provide guidance to the practicing physician.
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CANCER OF THE HEAD AND NECK. Edited by Eugene N. Myers, James Y. Suen, Jeffrey Myers and Ehab Hanna. 4th Edition. W.B. Saunders.
This is the definitive text on cancerous diseases of the head and neck, offering comprehensive information on diagnosis and treatment. Treatment options cover both surgical and non-surgical therapies, with fine illustrations that further enhance detail and presentation. This revised edition contains new information on nasopharangeal cancer, and also provides comment on immunotherapy regarding the assessment and treatment of head and neck cancer. Fine illustrations throughout and a well-edited narrative by the top physicians in the field (in addition to the four primary editors, Cancer contains contributions from 53 other leaders in the sub-specialty).
Highly specialized text for oncologists, head and neck surgeons and otolaryngologists. Should be included in all medical school libraries as a reference text. Would also be a first choice as a teaching text in advanced classes exploring diseases of the head and neck.
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These recommendations speak to books with strong reference or professional content and each have high value to both collegiate and public libraries alike.
Electric Review 