ESMO: Handbook of Principles of Translational Research

Abstract

eds. Informa Healthcare, 2007. ISBN: 978 0415 39432 1, 180pp. £24.95-£30.00.e cc_851 6This pocket-sized paperback book is a new edition of the 'handbook' series produced by the European Society for Medical Oncology. The 'translational research' of the title refers to the transfer of knowledge from the laboratory to the patient and from the patient back to the laboratory. This book identifies the current key areas of translational research in the field of oncology, and is being published at a time when the growing importance of translational research is evident from the increasing number of grants available for this type of research into cancer.The book contains 18 chapters and begins with a chapter describing the principles of normal cell biology, thus providing useful revision before exploring the other chapters. Other chapters are: an overview of basic immunology; principles of tumour biology; fundamentals of tumour immunology; self-sufficiency; limitless replication potential; regulation of apoptosis; angiogenesis; cancer cells and tumour-associated host cells: therapeutic implications; new drug development; inhibition of receptor tyrosine kinases; monoclonal antibodies; gene therapy; cancer vaccines; combination treatment; safety of targeted therapies; functional immunology and biomarkers; assessment of protein profiles (proteomics) as biomarkers. One of the strengths of this small book is that it contains some chapters that describe the normal biology or basic principles of a subject to the reader, before exploring the more fundamental issues surrounding that same topic, thus providing the reader with 'the full picture'.It is clearly written, by experts from a number of European countries, and illustrated throughout with both fullcolour diagrams and tables for illustration of the concepts within the text. Although a paperback, it is well very bound and the spine of my review copy does not yet show signs of use, even though I have been making good use of it.Most chapters end with a further reading list containing references to recent textbooks and/or articles from wellknown journals. A detailed contents list is provided at the front of the book, and a detailed index is provided at the back, quickly enabling the reader to find their topic of interest. Its price, of around £24.95, provides good value given the amount of detail provided in the text.In terms of readership, this book would be useful throughout Europe to professionals from many medical and scientific backgrounds, including medical and clinical oncologists and therapeutic radiographers (or oncology nurses) studying for all higher degrees in oncology and related fields. In addition, it provides a useful resource for those healthcare professionals involved in healthcare education, e.g. those individuals who teach oncology.

Small Cell Lung cancer: Molecular Oncology Approach

“…Evading immune destruction is one of mechanism of the cancer cell to survive and develop as shown by Hanahan and Weinberg [44]. Immunediting is defined as multistep process including three phases: elimination of highly immugenic cancer cells, equilibrium between immunomedited destruction and adaptive immune system which will leave behind persistent weakly immugenic malignant clones/variants which will be able in the third phase to escape the immune system [44][45][46]. d. Gangliosides: these are glycolipids, usually found in central nervous cell membranes.…”