Textbook Of Oncology
Gordon Neal
Theodore S. Lawrence, MD, PhD, FASTRO, FASCO, is the Isadore Lampe Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is the Immediate Past President of the Radiation Oncology Institute and Immediate Past Chair of the Radiation Sciences and Medicine Working Group of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR). Dr. Lawrence is an editor of the Cancer Journal, the associate editor of Seminars in Radiation Oncology, a senior editor for Cancer Research, and a scientific editor for Cancer Discovery. He has received numerous awards, has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, and his work has been continuously supported by the National Cancer Institute for over 25 years.
Oncology has been a fast-paced medical specialty for decades, with new developments and discoveries accelerating every year. Internationally recognized for their accomplishments as pioneers in the field of oncology, Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., MD, and his colleagues Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, PhD, and Theodore S. Lawrence, MD, PhD, discuss the gold-standard oncology text's success over 40 years of publication.
A (Rosenberg): When the 1st Edition was published in 1982, there were no multidisciplinary cancer texts available. While the basic science was bountiful, its applicability to clinical practice was spotty. By combining the principles (the science) and practice (therapy) of oncology in one text, the readers could see for themselves what was known and what was considered the best practice of cancer medicine.
A (DeVita): When we sat down over 40 years ago to write this book, the original plan was to divide the text into two major parts: the first section covering the science of oncology (the Principles), the second the practice of oncology, representing the three major approaches to therapy: surgery, medical and radiation, and emphasizing treatment by stage. That is the logic of the book, which remains in place to this day.
The first major change is that up until the 4th Edition in 1993, information on the molecular biology of cancer was scattered throughout the text. Then in the 5th Edition, 1997, we started collecting and presenting information on molecular biology according to tumor type and placed it in a separate chapter preceding each main disease-oriented chapter.
But with the 10th (2015) and 11th (2019) Editions, we faced a problem with redundancy, as so much basic information had become relevant to clinical practice that the same information was being presented as many as three times: in the first section, in the molecular biology chapters, and then again in the chapters on clinical practice.
With the advent of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, there was even more reason why they needed to be together. The same trend was noted in other areas, such as cancer diagnostics, immunology and immunotherapy, and genetic counseling, to name a few. This, of course, is good news.
A (Lawrence): Responding to this trend, we moved all the relevant basic science into the major disease chapters. The text is still principles and practice of oncology, but both principles and practice are in each disease-oriented chapter. The elimination of redundancy has resulted in a smaller, single-volume text that emphasizes information the clinician needs at the point of care, with a reduction in the comprehensive historical backgrounds that were present in prior Editions.
So for the first time, we are offering readers the option of purchasing a seven-volume paperback version of the book or the traditional single-volume hardcover version so readers have the option to choose the format that will best suit them.
A (Lawrence): And, of course, regardless of which print format you choose, the purchase of a print copy provides the reader with access to the VitalSource eBook, which is where you will find the quarterly updates.
A (Lawrence): Despite the fact that the text is published on average every three and a half years, the field is changing at a dizzying pace and much valuable information appears between formal editions. Starting with the 9th Edition, to keep the text continuously fresh, we instituted quarterly electronic updates in the online version for all the disease chapters. These updates are inserted, in highlighted form, in the appropriate places in each chapter. The online version is available to all who purchase book, and PPO is the only cancer text that is continuously updated online.
A (DeVita): A point about the value of textbooks in general. To this day, textbooks remain unique in that unlike scientific papers, they present each new advance in the context of what has come before; they remain the ideal way for physicians to refresh their knowledge of the field and laboratory scientists to put their discoveries in proper perspective.
This textbook combines essential information on clinical cancer medicine with a guide to the latest advances in molecular oncology and tumor biology. Providing a systematic overview of all types of solid tumors, including epidemiology and cancer prevention, genetic aspects of hereditary cancers, differential diagnosis, typical signs and symptoms, diagnostic strategies and staging, and treatment modalities, it also discusses new and innovative cancer treatments, particularly targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Expert commentaries at the end of each chapter highlight key points, offer insights, suggest further reading and discuss clinical application using case descriptions. This textbook is an invaluable, practice-oriented tool for medical students just beginning their clinical oncology studies, as well as for medical oncology residents and young professionals.
Christian Rolfo is Director of Thoracic Medical Oncology and Director of Early Clinical Trials at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC), in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He is Professor of Medicine at the Division of Oncology at Maryland University, School of Medicine. In addition, he is Professor of Oncology at Antwerp University in the Center for Oncological Research (CORE) in Antwerp, Belgium. He also serves as Visiting Professor in Oncology and as External Expert in PhD Degrees in Clinical Oncology Research at the Medicine and Surgery School, University of Palermo, Italy. He is actively working on drug development and Lung cancer & Mesothelioma treatment. His research is focused in molecular oncology and Immunotherapy and in a pan-tumoral approach, using new techniques in liquid biopsies, specifically in exosome isolation and circulatingfree tumour DNA. Prof. Rolfo served as an expert member of the Commission for Medicinal Products for Human Use and First in Human Drugs Commission at the Federal Agency of Health and Medicinal Products from Belgium and external expert for the European Agency of Medicine (EMA). He is member of the educational committee at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), served on the membership committee of ESMO, is the current vice-president of the International Society of Liquid Biopsy (ISLB) and member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Society of Clinical Research (AACR) the Oncology Latin-American Association (OLA). He is Editor in Chief of Critical Review in Oncology Hematology; he has been a speaker at national and international forums and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals.
This textbook provides a practically applicable resource for understanding the surgical oncology management of pancreatic cancer. It discusses relevant aspects of anatomy and pathophysiology along with the latest diagnostic techniques. Insightful descriptions are then provided detailing how to perform critical surgical procedures when treating these patients. Relevant perioperative management strategies and emerging themes in cancer biology critical to understanding and treating the disease are also described.
Textbook of Pancreatic Cancer: Principles and Practice of Surgical Oncology is a detailed work covering the basic material important to trainees as well as advanced curriculum for established specialists in the field from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Therefore, it is crucial resource for all practicing and trainee professionals who encounter these patients in their day-to-day clinical practice.
Prof. Kjetil Soreide, MD, PhD, FRCS (Edin) is a general and GI surgeon specializing in HPB surgery. He has authored over 250 papers, of which the majority with a focus on GI oncology subjects. He has been the editor of the Br J Surgery since 2010, one of the world most premier surgical journals. He is a member of several surgical societies (European Surgical Association; European Society for Surgical Oncology; Society for Surgical Oncology; International Surgical Society, Society for Surgery of the Alimentary tract; the European and international HPB societies EAHPBA, IHPBA and more).
Assocciate Prof. Stefan Stttner MD, Priv. Doz Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Visceral, Transplantation and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. Stttner is a consultant HPB surgeon work in in Innsbruck. He did part of his HPB training in Liverpool under prof Graham Poston. He has published more than 40 papers on HPB topics and givenm numerous lectures around the world on the same. He is chairing several symposia on surgical oncology topics and is currently on the education and training comittees of both the EAHPBA and ESSO (the European societies for HPB surgery and Surgical Oncology).
First written by Philip Stell and Arnold Maran in 1972, Stell & Maran's Textbook of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology has been revised in both content and approach over the years to reflect the enormous progress made in the area. Now in its fifth edition, the book remains a key textbook for trainees in otolaryngology and head and neck surgery.
Written with a strong multidisciplinary approach, the book has expanded considerably to include the expertise of international editors and contributing authors from a wide variety of backgrounds, including ENT, radiotherapy, plastic surgery, and maxillofacial surgery.