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The radiobiology of human cancer radiotherapy
Inl. J. Radiation Oncology Viol. Phys., Vol. 6, p. 1273 Printed in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.
0X0-3016/80/091273-01$02.00/0 Copyright 0 1980 Pergamon Press Ltd.
??Book Review
THE RADIOBIOLOGY
OF HUMAN
CANCER
RADIOTHERAPY
of the inconsistent writing style which ranges from clear, well-focused presentations to paragraphs which are very difficult to follow, often because of long, confusing sentences. Inconsistencies in the thoroughness of the treatment of the subject matter are also present; Connective Tissue and Microvasculature and Microcirculation are 2 and 5 pages long respectively. The various paragraphs are only loosely related to each other and this reviewer does not think that justice was done to these topics. The chapter on Tumor Models covers much of the same ground as a subsequent chapter on Cell Populations. The chapter on Radiation Chemistry failed to give this reviewer a clear and adequate conception of this field. Chapters I I and I2 provide an adequate, but limited, coverage of repair and hyperthermia respectively. Radiosensitization and protection are only very briefly considered in Chapters I3 and 14. The chapter on DNA as a Critical Locus for Radiation Action is not current. The first and last chapters in the book should have been omitted. The first chapter which deals with the Biology and Biochemistry Relevant to Radiobiology is very elementary and essentially adds little to what most medical scientist/therapists already know. The author would have done better just to include some general references for the reader. The last chapter, Natural History of Cancer and the Effects of Treatment is considered in two pages and I suspect will provide little new information to the readers of this book. Overall this is a very worthwhile book which presents a rather large volume of factual material. It is certainly a useful source of references to many fundamental radiobiologic-radiotherapeutic issues. The book is especially valuable for students of radiobiology and radiotherapy for use as a source-book with important details of data in selected areas. R.M. SUTHERLAND Professor of Radiation Biology and Biophysics Head of Exerpimental Therapeutics G. ZAGARS Sr. Instructor of Radiation Oncology University of Rochester Cancer Center 601 Elmwood Avenue Rochester, N.Y., 14642
by J. Robert Andrew
This revised edition covers a very wide range of topics in an attempt to bridge the gap between basic radiobiology and clinical radiotherapy. The author is well-qualified in radiotherapy, radiobiology and physics to integrate both the theoretical and experimental aspects of radiobiology and radiotherapy of human cancer. Many chapters in this volume successfully achieve the goal of integration in a comprehensive and thorough manner. The book contains 26 chapters arranged in a logical order progressing from introductory chapters on relevant biology, chemistry and physics, through cellular and animal radiobiology to cancer biology and radiotherapy. Virtually all topics relevant to radiotherapy are included. In general, the text is well-illustrated and contains figures of data from the literature as well as an appropriate number of diagrams by the author demonstrating a variety of theoretical points. A helpful glossary of terms is included and a very comprehensive bibliography is cited. There are many excellent chapters in the book. Chapter IO, The Oxygen Effect, covers a wide range of basic and clinical data and reviews, in a limited fashion, the hypoxic cell sensitizers. The chapter on Cell Populations is another high-point in this work as is the following chapter on Time, Dose, Fractionation. The chapters on High LET (I 5 and 16) are comprehensive. Radiation Hematology is well handled, though more discussion of stem cells would have been welcome. Chapters 2 I, 22, and 23 provide useful introductions to chemotherapy, radiation pathology and immunology. Various aspects of human radiotherapy are introduced in chapters 24 and 25; these chapters provide a fine link between radrobiology and radiotherapy. Chapters 6 and 7 on Radiation Physics and Mathematical Models of Cell Killing amply cover their topics. The important distinction between the susceptibility of a cell to the induction of radiation lesions and the subsequent expression of this lesion is highlighted in Chapter 8; a good coverage of cell cycle phase radiosensitivity is included. Despite the interesting and thorough approach to the subject matter in these areas, a significant detraction in some chapters occurs because
Accepted
for publication
14 May
1980. 1273
0X0-3016/80/091273-01$02.00/0 Copyright 0 1980 Pergamon Press Ltd.
??Book Review
THE RADIOBIOLOGY
OF HUMAN
CANCER
RADIOTHERAPY
of the inconsistent writing style which ranges from clear, well-focused presentations to paragraphs which are very difficult to follow, often because of long, confusing sentences. Inconsistencies in the thoroughness of the treatment of the subject matter are also present; Connective Tissue and Microvasculature and Microcirculation are 2 and 5 pages long respectively. The various paragraphs are only loosely related to each other and this reviewer does not think that justice was done to these topics. The chapter on Tumor Models covers much of the same ground as a subsequent chapter on Cell Populations. The chapter on Radiation Chemistry failed to give this reviewer a clear and adequate conception of this field. Chapters I I and I2 provide an adequate, but limited, coverage of repair and hyperthermia respectively. Radiosensitization and protection are only very briefly considered in Chapters I3 and 14. The chapter on DNA as a Critical Locus for Radiation Action is not current. The first and last chapters in the book should have been omitted. The first chapter which deals with the Biology and Biochemistry Relevant to Radiobiology is very elementary and essentially adds little to what most medical scientist/therapists already know. The author would have done better just to include some general references for the reader. The last chapter, Natural History of Cancer and the Effects of Treatment is considered in two pages and I suspect will provide little new information to the readers of this book. Overall this is a very worthwhile book which presents a rather large volume of factual material. It is certainly a useful source of references to many fundamental radiobiologic-radiotherapeutic issues. The book is especially valuable for students of radiobiology and radiotherapy for use as a source-book with important details of data in selected areas. R.M. SUTHERLAND Professor of Radiation Biology and Biophysics Head of Exerpimental Therapeutics G. ZAGARS Sr. Instructor of Radiation Oncology University of Rochester Cancer Center 601 Elmwood Avenue Rochester, N.Y., 14642
by J. Robert Andrew
This revised edition covers a very wide range of topics in an attempt to bridge the gap between basic radiobiology and clinical radiotherapy. The author is well-qualified in radiotherapy, radiobiology and physics to integrate both the theoretical and experimental aspects of radiobiology and radiotherapy of human cancer. Many chapters in this volume successfully achieve the goal of integration in a comprehensive and thorough manner. The book contains 26 chapters arranged in a logical order progressing from introductory chapters on relevant biology, chemistry and physics, through cellular and animal radiobiology to cancer biology and radiotherapy. Virtually all topics relevant to radiotherapy are included. In general, the text is well-illustrated and contains figures of data from the literature as well as an appropriate number of diagrams by the author demonstrating a variety of theoretical points. A helpful glossary of terms is included and a very comprehensive bibliography is cited. There are many excellent chapters in the book. Chapter IO, The Oxygen Effect, covers a wide range of basic and clinical data and reviews, in a limited fashion, the hypoxic cell sensitizers. The chapter on Cell Populations is another high-point in this work as is the following chapter on Time, Dose, Fractionation. The chapters on High LET (I 5 and 16) are comprehensive. Radiation Hematology is well handled, though more discussion of stem cells would have been welcome. Chapters 2 I, 22, and 23 provide useful introductions to chemotherapy, radiation pathology and immunology. Various aspects of human radiotherapy are introduced in chapters 24 and 25; these chapters provide a fine link between radrobiology and radiotherapy. Chapters 6 and 7 on Radiation Physics and Mathematical Models of Cell Killing amply cover their topics. The important distinction between the susceptibility of a cell to the induction of radiation lesions and the subsequent expression of this lesion is highlighted in Chapter 8; a good coverage of cell cycle phase radiosensitivity is included. Despite the interesting and thorough approach to the subject matter in these areas, a significant detraction in some chapters occurs because
Accepted
for publication
14 May
1980. 1273