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Oncogenes and the molecular origins of cancer
510
Reviews of recent publications--Fd Chem. Toxic. Vol. 29, No. 7
cytogenetic markers, macromolecular adducts and DNA adducts. Also, several studies are described investigating human exposures to aromatic hydrocarbons and coal tar, which were detected using DNA adducts in white blood cells and mutagenic metabolites in urine. The penultimate section has 18 contributions on complex contaminants, which, whether in the air, water or in industrial settings, appear to have been detected using mutagenicity assays. This may well be justified in terms of carcinogenicity, as an earlier contribution by Bartsch and Malaveille had shown that "genotoxic carcinogens add more to the human cancer burden than non-genotoxic carcinogens". The last chapter contains four contributions on "life-style related complex mixtures", such as food mutagens/ ca.~nogens and cigarettes. The book is rounded off by a short chapter on the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop held in Espoo, Finland, on 14-17 May 1989, on which the book is based. I consider this volume to be one of the best of its kind. Often such books are out of date before they are published, but this one has a contemporary feel and most of the references are from the mid- to late 1980s. Most of the contributions are quite short and readable, so it is a good book to browse through when any spare time becomes available. This text makes a valuable contribution to the study of the carcinogenic risk of complex mixtures, and I recommend it to anyone involved in cancer or environment-related research. [Peter Jenkinson--SafePharm Laboratories] Oncogenes and the Molecular Origins of Cancer. Edited by R. A. Weinberg. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, 1989. pp. x + 367. Hbk $97, pbk $55. ISBN 0-87969-336-3. During the last decade, the fundamental importance of oncogenes in the control of cell growth and differentiation, as well as cancer, has been clearly demonstrated. Bob Weinberg, one of the founding fathers and frontrunners of this research, has gathered together many of the leading contributors in the field
for a definitive and timely review of the knowledge accumulated so far. The importance of the subject has recently been recognized by the award of a Nobel Prize to two outstanding workers, and there are contributions from both in this book. The book starts with a long, historical and allembracing general overview by Harold Varmus (one of the Nobel laureates). The next six chapters are arranged to take us on a trip through the cell, from outside the membrane to the heart of the nucleus, indicating the wide-ranging role of oncogenes in the general functioning of the normal cell, as well as in the aberrant cancer cell. There are chapters on growth factors, their receptors, the ras family, the transduction of signals through the cell, protein kinases and nuclear oncogenes. The remaining chapters are less logically arranged, but indicate other key areas of interest, such as DNA viruses, tumour suppressors and heritable cancers, multistage carcinogenesis and, finally, the possible role of oncogenes in human cancers--reviewed by Mike Bishop, the other Nobel Prize winner. In the preface, Weinberg discusses the aims of the book and suggests that it is designed to be a "recruiting pamphlet" to encourage "interest and excite those outside the field". It is probably too all-encompassing and slightly daunting to accomplish this. For the newcomer or interested outsider, I would suggest reading the Varmus overview, and then 'dipping' into chapters of interest from there. The book does, however, succeed in getting the experts in this exciting field to review the accomplishments of the last decade, and to take a look into the future. The reviews can be read in isolation and are, in general, very well written, informative and interesting. The book suffers slightly from the inevitable lengthy production time of a m a g n u m opus, in that it has few references as recent as 1989 and so does not include some very recent discoveries, such as the tumour suppressors in Wilms' tumour and in colorectal cancer. Also, the text is heavily referenced, which, although making it of value as a source book, sometimes renders it difficult to read. However, these are small criticisms of what is likely to become the definitive reference book on oncogenes for the foreseeable future. [Paul Rumsby--BIBRA]
Reviews of recent publications--Fd Chem. Toxic. Vol. 29, No. 7
cytogenetic markers, macromolecular adducts and DNA adducts. Also, several studies are described investigating human exposures to aromatic hydrocarbons and coal tar, which were detected using DNA adducts in white blood cells and mutagenic metabolites in urine. The penultimate section has 18 contributions on complex contaminants, which, whether in the air, water or in industrial settings, appear to have been detected using mutagenicity assays. This may well be justified in terms of carcinogenicity, as an earlier contribution by Bartsch and Malaveille had shown that "genotoxic carcinogens add more to the human cancer burden than non-genotoxic carcinogens". The last chapter contains four contributions on "life-style related complex mixtures", such as food mutagens/ ca.~nogens and cigarettes. The book is rounded off by a short chapter on the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop held in Espoo, Finland, on 14-17 May 1989, on which the book is based. I consider this volume to be one of the best of its kind. Often such books are out of date before they are published, but this one has a contemporary feel and most of the references are from the mid- to late 1980s. Most of the contributions are quite short and readable, so it is a good book to browse through when any spare time becomes available. This text makes a valuable contribution to the study of the carcinogenic risk of complex mixtures, and I recommend it to anyone involved in cancer or environment-related research. [Peter Jenkinson--SafePharm Laboratories] Oncogenes and the Molecular Origins of Cancer. Edited by R. A. Weinberg. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, 1989. pp. x + 367. Hbk $97, pbk $55. ISBN 0-87969-336-3. During the last decade, the fundamental importance of oncogenes in the control of cell growth and differentiation, as well as cancer, has been clearly demonstrated. Bob Weinberg, one of the founding fathers and frontrunners of this research, has gathered together many of the leading contributors in the field
for a definitive and timely review of the knowledge accumulated so far. The importance of the subject has recently been recognized by the award of a Nobel Prize to two outstanding workers, and there are contributions from both in this book. The book starts with a long, historical and allembracing general overview by Harold Varmus (one of the Nobel laureates). The next six chapters are arranged to take us on a trip through the cell, from outside the membrane to the heart of the nucleus, indicating the wide-ranging role of oncogenes in the general functioning of the normal cell, as well as in the aberrant cancer cell. There are chapters on growth factors, their receptors, the ras family, the transduction of signals through the cell, protein kinases and nuclear oncogenes. The remaining chapters are less logically arranged, but indicate other key areas of interest, such as DNA viruses, tumour suppressors and heritable cancers, multistage carcinogenesis and, finally, the possible role of oncogenes in human cancers--reviewed by Mike Bishop, the other Nobel Prize winner. In the preface, Weinberg discusses the aims of the book and suggests that it is designed to be a "recruiting pamphlet" to encourage "interest and excite those outside the field". It is probably too all-encompassing and slightly daunting to accomplish this. For the newcomer or interested outsider, I would suggest reading the Varmus overview, and then 'dipping' into chapters of interest from there. The book does, however, succeed in getting the experts in this exciting field to review the accomplishments of the last decade, and to take a look into the future. The reviews can be read in isolation and are, in general, very well written, informative and interesting. The book suffers slightly from the inevitable lengthy production time of a m a g n u m opus, in that it has few references as recent as 1989 and so does not include some very recent discoveries, such as the tumour suppressors in Wilms' tumour and in colorectal cancer. Also, the text is heavily referenced, which, although making it of value as a source book, sometimes renders it difficult to read. However, these are small criticisms of what is likely to become the definitive reference book on oncogenes for the foreseeable future. [Paul Rumsby--BIBRA]