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Iatrogenic carcinogenesis
BOOK REVIEWS
405
a landmark, and as such the proceedings probably merit republication to reach readers who might have missed the issue of Blood Cells. The monograph is a collection of papers divided into three sections, the first dealing with clinical and haematological data, the second with new techniques and special investigations, and the third with pathophysiology, followed by a general discussion. The papers in each section cover a variety of subjects and although they suffer from the problem of inconsistencies of length and style found in many proceedings, they are generally informative and useful. The recorded discussions are interesting and give the reader a good 'feel' for the spirit of the meeting. Considering the semantic problems, the extent of agreement reached concerning these disorders is quite striking, and in the concluding General Discussion the term 'pre-leukemia' is finally put to well deserved rest and the term 'Hemopoietic Dysplasias' is substituted. One hopes that this monograph will stimulate further study of these disorders, and the results of the registry proposed at the conclusion of the symposium will be awaited with interest. P. C. Vincent
Iatrogenic Carcinogenesis, D. SCHMAHL, C. THOMAS & R. AVER. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York. 120 pp. A$12.20.
1977.
This small book is written for pharmacotherapists and clinicians. It summarizes the clinical evidence that administration of some commonly used drugs and some surgical procedures (tumour development in scar tissue, carcinoma of the operated stomach, Stewart-Treves Syndrome, colonic tumours after ureterosigmoidostomy) may be associated with the development of neoplastic growths. It does not include effects of irradiation, but refers to reviews. Immunosuppressive therapy is covered in the discussion of cytostatic drugs, but does not include the use of immunosuppressive antisera. The various types of cytostatic drugs perhaps need more detail. Chloroform, chlorpromazine and amphetamine are not mentioned. The treatment does not set out to be comprehensive or critical and therefore is not systematic. The arrangement is perhaps a little unbalanced. There is no discussion of the possible theoretical basis of the mechanisms of action in the light of the vast amount of experimental data available from work on animals. The literature citation is comprehensive, includes most of the in-depth reviews and is probably as up-to-date as delays in publications permit. The book therefore should be of use to the audience for which it is written but the involved investigator will seek his information elsewhere. A. W. Pound
Problem Solving in Immunohematology, A. SIMMONS. 1977. Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc., Chicago, London. 204 pp. A$20.80. This book would be better entitled 'Problems in Blood Grouping and Cross-matching'. Attempting to arouse interest, the author has presented the problems in the form of case histories. Such presentation may appeal to the trained serologist faced with the exotic, but it is likely to complicate rather than illuminate the problem and to confuse the student or beginner in the field of blood bank serology. As an example, the first 'problem' would not have arisen if the patient's cells had been washed in physiological saline before grouping-an elementary precaution which could have been spelt out in one line. In another case, five pages of test results and comment are studied before anti-A haemolysins in the donor are incriminated as the cause of the transfusion reaction. The book may appeal to experts and perhaps to examiners wishing to quiz students on problem solving. It will have less appeal to the student who is trying to grasp the fundamentals of the subject. Priced at more than $20 the book cannot be considered cheap. It is presented as a manual with a soft cover and wire binder. It is well written but waste space accounts for almost half the total space available. G. T. Archer
405
a landmark, and as such the proceedings probably merit republication to reach readers who might have missed the issue of Blood Cells. The monograph is a collection of papers divided into three sections, the first dealing with clinical and haematological data, the second with new techniques and special investigations, and the third with pathophysiology, followed by a general discussion. The papers in each section cover a variety of subjects and although they suffer from the problem of inconsistencies of length and style found in many proceedings, they are generally informative and useful. The recorded discussions are interesting and give the reader a good 'feel' for the spirit of the meeting. Considering the semantic problems, the extent of agreement reached concerning these disorders is quite striking, and in the concluding General Discussion the term 'pre-leukemia' is finally put to well deserved rest and the term 'Hemopoietic Dysplasias' is substituted. One hopes that this monograph will stimulate further study of these disorders, and the results of the registry proposed at the conclusion of the symposium will be awaited with interest. P. C. Vincent
Iatrogenic Carcinogenesis, D. SCHMAHL, C. THOMAS & R. AVER. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York. 120 pp. A$12.20.
1977.
This small book is written for pharmacotherapists and clinicians. It summarizes the clinical evidence that administration of some commonly used drugs and some surgical procedures (tumour development in scar tissue, carcinoma of the operated stomach, Stewart-Treves Syndrome, colonic tumours after ureterosigmoidostomy) may be associated with the development of neoplastic growths. It does not include effects of irradiation, but refers to reviews. Immunosuppressive therapy is covered in the discussion of cytostatic drugs, but does not include the use of immunosuppressive antisera. The various types of cytostatic drugs perhaps need more detail. Chloroform, chlorpromazine and amphetamine are not mentioned. The treatment does not set out to be comprehensive or critical and therefore is not systematic. The arrangement is perhaps a little unbalanced. There is no discussion of the possible theoretical basis of the mechanisms of action in the light of the vast amount of experimental data available from work on animals. The literature citation is comprehensive, includes most of the in-depth reviews and is probably as up-to-date as delays in publications permit. The book therefore should be of use to the audience for which it is written but the involved investigator will seek his information elsewhere. A. W. Pound
Problem Solving in Immunohematology, A. SIMMONS. 1977. Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc., Chicago, London. 204 pp. A$20.80. This book would be better entitled 'Problems in Blood Grouping and Cross-matching'. Attempting to arouse interest, the author has presented the problems in the form of case histories. Such presentation may appeal to the trained serologist faced with the exotic, but it is likely to complicate rather than illuminate the problem and to confuse the student or beginner in the field of blood bank serology. As an example, the first 'problem' would not have arisen if the patient's cells had been washed in physiological saline before grouping-an elementary precaution which could have been spelt out in one line. In another case, five pages of test results and comment are studied before anti-A haemolysins in the donor are incriminated as the cause of the transfusion reaction. The book may appeal to experts and perhaps to examiners wishing to quiz students on problem solving. It will have less appeal to the student who is trying to grasp the fundamentals of the subject. Priced at more than $20 the book cannot be considered cheap. It is presented as a manual with a soft cover and wire binder. It is well written but waste space accounts for almost half the total space available. G. T. Archer