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Important advances in oncology 1996
127
Book Reviews
ture and presentation of evidence based on management protocols. Useful clinical algorithms are offered which help the reader crystalise the author’s concepts of management. Section 2 deals with extra-abdominal surgical problems, these deal with a number of important and common problems requiring surgical intervention. Section 3 deals with the systemic considerations in the surgical treatment of the cancer patient. This section of the book contains five chapters reviewing a number of very important topics in this field, including
Important Advances S. HELLMAN
pre-operative evaluation, nutritional support, and infective complications. I found this section of the book particularly interesting and on the whole well written. As with all multi-author text the overall book lacks a certain uniformity of style and consistency of quality. However, for those seeking a reference text or an in-depth review of these facets of surgical oncological care the book would provide adequately. The book would be a good reference for the specialist and for those interested in aspects of surgical oncology. S. S. Somers
in Oncology
1996-Edited by V. T. DE VITA JR, and S. A. ROSENBERG. Lippincott-Raven. ISBN 0-397-51601-O
This is the twelfth book in the annual series of date explanations of current thinking. The chapter on Important Advances in Oncology from the team that PCR methods and their applications will be particularly brings us the standard comprehensive textbook ‘Cancer welcomed by those who require further clarifications of Principles and Practice of Oncology’. This series aims this technique. The chapters on angiogenesis and to define important areas in oncology, both clinical and tumour vascularity are particularly useful and well scientific, that are changing rapidly and which we written, particularly as so much of the literature in the should all be noting for the forthcoming year. Perhaps early part of 1997 is dealing with these issues. a difficult task to define specific areas while being fairly The section on controversy within oncology was comprehensive. However, the team have very success- particularly well handled. The recognition that there fully achieved it in this edition. ure scientific uncertainties and differences of opinion is The book is usefully divided into three sections, one welcomed and subject areas such as laparoscopic resecon basic science, one on clinical application and an tion for colonic cancer and axillary node dissection will important section at the end of controversies in onco- be particularly interesting for surgical oncologists. The logy. The range of topics covered is wide and comprceditors were quite brave in tackling the difficult role of hensive, from molecular biology to radiotherapy to physician-assisted suicide in cancer and this area was surgical advances. The editors have clearly picked particularly sensitively handled in the discussions. leaders in the field and the chapters are beautifully Overall, the book is extremely well laid out, with explained and well referenced, and capable of bringing good illustrations. The referencing is comprehensive us all up to date with fields which are, perhaps, not our but not overburdening and the book certainly makes an own area of expertise. In the rapidly changing world of extremely good read, and leaves the reader feeling up oncology, textbooks like this are vital to rapidly update to date. This book could be very useful for surgical us to the correct level and assist our reading of the oncology trainees, as well as leading surgical oncololiterature and understanding of the many changing gists to update on their non-specialist areas. Certainly, areas. one to be recommended, and the series to be followed The chapters on the BRCAl breast cancer gene and with interest. P53 are both extremely well written, with good, up to I? Price
Surgery for Gastrointestinal Edited by HAROLD
Cancer-A
J. WANEBO.
Multidisciplinary
Lippincott-Raven.
The objective of this book is to present the current surgical management of gastrointestinal cancer from a multidisciplinary perspective. There are 131 contributors for 73 chapters. The first section is an introduction and overview on global themes including epidemiology, screening, molecular biology, genetics, laparoscopy and staging. Five other sections are site-specific to oesopha-
Approach-
ISBN O-397-51 518-9.
geal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatobiliary and lower gastrointestinal respectively. The authorship is predominantly from centres in the United States, but there are also contributions from Japan, China and Europe, in particular Germany. The book is outsanding in several respects. First, Dr. Wanebo has been able to enlist a highly impressive
Book Reviews
ture and presentation of evidence based on management protocols. Useful clinical algorithms are offered which help the reader crystalise the author’s concepts of management. Section 2 deals with extra-abdominal surgical problems, these deal with a number of important and common problems requiring surgical intervention. Section 3 deals with the systemic considerations in the surgical treatment of the cancer patient. This section of the book contains five chapters reviewing a number of very important topics in this field, including
Important Advances S. HELLMAN
pre-operative evaluation, nutritional support, and infective complications. I found this section of the book particularly interesting and on the whole well written. As with all multi-author text the overall book lacks a certain uniformity of style and consistency of quality. However, for those seeking a reference text or an in-depth review of these facets of surgical oncological care the book would provide adequately. The book would be a good reference for the specialist and for those interested in aspects of surgical oncology. S. S. Somers
in Oncology
1996-Edited by V. T. DE VITA JR, and S. A. ROSENBERG. Lippincott-Raven. ISBN 0-397-51601-O
This is the twelfth book in the annual series of date explanations of current thinking. The chapter on Important Advances in Oncology from the team that PCR methods and their applications will be particularly brings us the standard comprehensive textbook ‘Cancer welcomed by those who require further clarifications of Principles and Practice of Oncology’. This series aims this technique. The chapters on angiogenesis and to define important areas in oncology, both clinical and tumour vascularity are particularly useful and well scientific, that are changing rapidly and which we written, particularly as so much of the literature in the should all be noting for the forthcoming year. Perhaps early part of 1997 is dealing with these issues. a difficult task to define specific areas while being fairly The section on controversy within oncology was comprehensive. However, the team have very success- particularly well handled. The recognition that there fully achieved it in this edition. ure scientific uncertainties and differences of opinion is The book is usefully divided into three sections, one welcomed and subject areas such as laparoscopic resecon basic science, one on clinical application and an tion for colonic cancer and axillary node dissection will important section at the end of controversies in onco- be particularly interesting for surgical oncologists. The logy. The range of topics covered is wide and comprceditors were quite brave in tackling the difficult role of hensive, from molecular biology to radiotherapy to physician-assisted suicide in cancer and this area was surgical advances. The editors have clearly picked particularly sensitively handled in the discussions. leaders in the field and the chapters are beautifully Overall, the book is extremely well laid out, with explained and well referenced, and capable of bringing good illustrations. The referencing is comprehensive us all up to date with fields which are, perhaps, not our but not overburdening and the book certainly makes an own area of expertise. In the rapidly changing world of extremely good read, and leaves the reader feeling up oncology, textbooks like this are vital to rapidly update to date. This book could be very useful for surgical us to the correct level and assist our reading of the oncology trainees, as well as leading surgical oncololiterature and understanding of the many changing gists to update on their non-specialist areas. Certainly, areas. one to be recommended, and the series to be followed The chapters on the BRCAl breast cancer gene and with interest. P53 are both extremely well written, with good, up to I? Price
Surgery for Gastrointestinal Edited by HAROLD
Cancer-A
J. WANEBO.
Multidisciplinary
Lippincott-Raven.
The objective of this book is to present the current surgical management of gastrointestinal cancer from a multidisciplinary perspective. There are 131 contributors for 73 chapters. The first section is an introduction and overview on global themes including epidemiology, screening, molecular biology, genetics, laparoscopy and staging. Five other sections are site-specific to oesopha-
Approach-
ISBN O-397-51 518-9.
geal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatobiliary and lower gastrointestinal respectively. The authorship is predominantly from centres in the United States, but there are also contributions from Japan, China and Europe, in particular Germany. The book is outsanding in several respects. First, Dr. Wanebo has been able to enlist a highly impressive