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Growth factors and oncogenes in breast cancer
CIinica Chimica Acta, 176 (1988) 239, 240 0 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (Biomedical Division)
239
Book Reviews Computation of Solution Equilibria Ed. M. Meloung, J. Have1 and E. Hiigfeldt Ellis Horwood, Chichester, UK, 1988, 292 pp., g45.00
This book is surely written for the professional analytical chemist and shows the impact of modem computer programs on problem solving in this area. It presents an overview of software available to analyze chemical data obtained from potentiometric and spectrofotometric titrations. Representative examples are given to show in detail the mode of operation of the various programs. As such, this book seems a ‘must’ for those people who have had no experience with the use of computers to solve their analytical problems and who want to do work in this field. For this goup of potential readers it would also have been attractive had the authors indicated how and where the software could be obtained, because it is an essential part of the book. One could even think of the possibility of providing one or two floppies with the book to get started. The book should be present in every science library. H.G. van Eijk, Professor of Clinical Biochemisity, Roiterdam, The ~e~her~an~
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Growth Factors and Oncogenes in Breast Cancer Edited by M. Sluyser Ellis Horwood, Chichister, UK and VCH, Weinheim, 105.00
FRG,
1987, 206 pp., DM
This book consists of ten chapters that focus on different aspects of treatment of and research into breast cancer. The title of the book is mitdly misleading since three chapters, those on epidemiology, hormones and dietary lipids and hormonal treatments do not refer to oncogenes other than in passing. The book as a whole, however, represents a good balance between articles on the new developments that have been occurring in the molecular biology of breast cancer together with reviews of incidence of the disease and present therapeutic strategies. I feel it would appeal principally to scientists or to clinicians with an active interest in the molecular basis of the disease. Individual chapters on the steroid hormone receptors and the epidennal growth factor receptor, together with a chapter proposing models for their inte~elations~p, emphasise the recent convergence of these areas of research due to the emergence of factually based and intuitively satisfying concepts to explain their behaviour. Gelmann and Lippman, in their chapter, propose a model of the evolution of breast cancer cells from a state of hormone dependence of growth stimulation to hormone independence. Hormone dependent tumours secrete the growth factor TGF-alpha after stimulation with oestrogen and this then feeds back on the same cells by binding to and stimulating growth via the epidermal growth
240
factor receptor. The drugs tamoxifen and aminoglutethimide, whose use in the hormonal treatment of breast cancer is detailed in the final chapter, act by antagonising the effect of oestrogens thereby reducing the mitogenic stimulus. Hormone-independent tumours arise or evolve to a state in which they secrete TGF-alpha constitutively and independent of oestrogen stimulation. The implications of these ideas are that the drugs of the future will be designed to antagonise the effect of polypeptide growth factors and thus be effective on all classes of breast cancers. Other chapters discuss the role of oncogenes in the evolution of tumour phenotypic diversity, mouse mammary tumour models and their association with cytogenetic abnormalities. These provide less definitive information but stimulate ideas as to the involvement of oncogenes in the progression of breast cancer. The central events leading via transformation to the fully malignant phenotype almost certainly involve the accumulation of genetic damage. It is likely that in a disease breast cancer with such diverse presentations as breast cancer different combinations of such changes occur in particular turnours. No cytogenetic abnormalities are uniformly present in breast cancers although it is emphasised that surprisingly few reports have appeared describing karyotypes of breast cancer cells. Some fairly frequently occurring cytogenetic abnormalities have been observed however, but it remains to be seen whether these involve oncogenes. A chapter on the epidemiology of breast cancer lucidly reviews the contribution of environmental factors, such as ionizing radiation, and avoidable factors, such as alcohol and smoking, to the development of breast cancer. Another chapter focuses on the influence of dietary lipids and it is interesting to contrast the views of the authors of the two chapters on the contribution of this factor to the disease. Most chapters contain helpful diagrams and tables, particularly that on the steroid hormone receptor structures. Each article is extensively referenced with an average of eighty-six citations. There is a brief and perhaps superfluous index. in summary, I would recommend this book as interesting reading to those with a general or specific interest in breast cancer. W.J. Gullick. Head of Molecular Oncology, Royal Postgraduate Medrcal School, London, UK
(continued
from cover)
Elevation of sex hormone binding globulin among patients with thyroxine binding globulin excess (CCA 04231) J. Wortsman, B.N. Premachandra, I.K. Williams and W. Rosner (USA) Separation and purification of creatine kinase BB isoenzyme and neuron-specific enolase on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 chromatography (CCA 04234) J.-G. Geng, H.-Z. Chen, Y.-F. Yang, C.-Y. Jian, Z.-H. Qian, Q.-Q. Han and Y.-M. Yao (People’s Republic of China) Choline supplementation increases serum alkaline phosphatase activity in rats (CCA 04262) L. Wu~-Biers and L. Wecker (USA) Book Reviews
229
233 237
239
Book Reviews Computation of Solution Equilibria Ed. M. Meloung, J. Have1 and E. Hiigfeldt Ellis Horwood, Chichester, UK, 1988, 292 pp., g45.00
This book is surely written for the professional analytical chemist and shows the impact of modem computer programs on problem solving in this area. It presents an overview of software available to analyze chemical data obtained from potentiometric and spectrofotometric titrations. Representative examples are given to show in detail the mode of operation of the various programs. As such, this book seems a ‘must’ for those people who have had no experience with the use of computers to solve their analytical problems and who want to do work in this field. For this goup of potential readers it would also have been attractive had the authors indicated how and where the software could be obtained, because it is an essential part of the book. One could even think of the possibility of providing one or two floppies with the book to get started. The book should be present in every science library. H.G. van Eijk, Professor of Clinical Biochemisity, Roiterdam, The ~e~her~an~
*
*
*
*
*
Growth Factors and Oncogenes in Breast Cancer Edited by M. Sluyser Ellis Horwood, Chichister, UK and VCH, Weinheim, 105.00
FRG,
1987, 206 pp., DM
This book consists of ten chapters that focus on different aspects of treatment of and research into breast cancer. The title of the book is mitdly misleading since three chapters, those on epidemiology, hormones and dietary lipids and hormonal treatments do not refer to oncogenes other than in passing. The book as a whole, however, represents a good balance between articles on the new developments that have been occurring in the molecular biology of breast cancer together with reviews of incidence of the disease and present therapeutic strategies. I feel it would appeal principally to scientists or to clinicians with an active interest in the molecular basis of the disease. Individual chapters on the steroid hormone receptors and the epidennal growth factor receptor, together with a chapter proposing models for their inte~elations~p, emphasise the recent convergence of these areas of research due to the emergence of factually based and intuitively satisfying concepts to explain their behaviour. Gelmann and Lippman, in their chapter, propose a model of the evolution of breast cancer cells from a state of hormone dependence of growth stimulation to hormone independence. Hormone dependent tumours secrete the growth factor TGF-alpha after stimulation with oestrogen and this then feeds back on the same cells by binding to and stimulating growth via the epidermal growth
240
factor receptor. The drugs tamoxifen and aminoglutethimide, whose use in the hormonal treatment of breast cancer is detailed in the final chapter, act by antagonising the effect of oestrogens thereby reducing the mitogenic stimulus. Hormone-independent tumours arise or evolve to a state in which they secrete TGF-alpha constitutively and independent of oestrogen stimulation. The implications of these ideas are that the drugs of the future will be designed to antagonise the effect of polypeptide growth factors and thus be effective on all classes of breast cancers. Other chapters discuss the role of oncogenes in the evolution of tumour phenotypic diversity, mouse mammary tumour models and their association with cytogenetic abnormalities. These provide less definitive information but stimulate ideas as to the involvement of oncogenes in the progression of breast cancer. The central events leading via transformation to the fully malignant phenotype almost certainly involve the accumulation of genetic damage. It is likely that in a disease breast cancer with such diverse presentations as breast cancer different combinations of such changes occur in particular turnours. No cytogenetic abnormalities are uniformly present in breast cancers although it is emphasised that surprisingly few reports have appeared describing karyotypes of breast cancer cells. Some fairly frequently occurring cytogenetic abnormalities have been observed however, but it remains to be seen whether these involve oncogenes. A chapter on the epidemiology of breast cancer lucidly reviews the contribution of environmental factors, such as ionizing radiation, and avoidable factors, such as alcohol and smoking, to the development of breast cancer. Another chapter focuses on the influence of dietary lipids and it is interesting to contrast the views of the authors of the two chapters on the contribution of this factor to the disease. Most chapters contain helpful diagrams and tables, particularly that on the steroid hormone receptor structures. Each article is extensively referenced with an average of eighty-six citations. There is a brief and perhaps superfluous index. in summary, I would recommend this book as interesting reading to those with a general or specific interest in breast cancer. W.J. Gullick. Head of Molecular Oncology, Royal Postgraduate Medrcal School, London, UK
(continued
from cover)
Elevation of sex hormone binding globulin among patients with thyroxine binding globulin excess (CCA 04231) J. Wortsman, B.N. Premachandra, I.K. Williams and W. Rosner (USA) Separation and purification of creatine kinase BB isoenzyme and neuron-specific enolase on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 chromatography (CCA 04234) J.-G. Geng, H.-Z. Chen, Y.-F. Yang, C.-Y. Jian, Z.-H. Qian, Q.-Q. Han and Y.-M. Yao (People’s Republic of China) Choline supplementation increases serum alkaline phosphatase activity in rats (CCA 04262) L. Wu~-Biers and L. Wecker (USA) Book Reviews
229
233 237