It has been recognized for almost 200 years that certain families seem to inherit cancer. It is only in the past decade, however, that molecular genetics and epidemiology have combined to define the role of inheritance in cancer more clearly, and to identify some of the genes involved. The causative genes can be tracked through cancer-prone families via genetic linkage and positional cloning. Several of the genes discovered have subsequently been proved to play critical roles in normal growth and development. There are also implications for the families themselves in terms of genetic testing with its attendant dilemmas, if it is not clear that useful action will result. The chapters in The Genetics of Cancer illustrate what has already been achieved and take a critical look at the future directions of this research and its potential clinical applications.
This is the second edition of a widely used textbook that consolidates the basic concepts of the cancer gene theory and provides a framework for understanding the genetic basis of cancer. Particular attention is devoted to the origins of the mutations that cause cancer, and the application of evolutionary theory to explain how the cell clones that harbor cancer genes tend to expand. Focused on the altered genes and pathways that cause the growth of the most common tumors, Principles of Cancer Genetics is aimed at advanced undergraduates who have completed introductory coursework in genetics, biology and biochemistry, medical students and medical house staff. For students with a general interest in cancer, this book provides a highly accessible and readable overview. For more advanced students contemplating future study in the field of oncology and cancer research, this concise book will be useful as a primer.
Each year more than 180,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women in the U.S. If cancer is detected when small and local, treatment options are less dangerous, intrusive, and costly-and more likely to lead to a cure. Yet those simple facts belie the complexity of developing and disseminating acceptable techniques for breast cancer diagnosis. Even the most exciting new technologies remain clouded with uncertainty. Mammography and Beyond provides a comprehensive and up-to-date perspective on the state of breast cancer screening and diagnosis and recommends steps for developing the most reliable breast cancer detection methods possible. This book reviews the dramatic expansion of breast cancer awareness and screening, examining the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technologies for breast cancer detection and their effectiveness at actually reducing deaths. The committee discusses issues including national policy toward breast cancer detection, roles of public and private agencies, problems in determining the success of a technique, availability of detection methods to specific populations of women, women's experience during the detection process, cost-benefit analyses, and more. Examining current practices and specifying research and other needs, Mammography and Beyond will be an indispensable resource to policy makers, public health officials, medical practitioners, researchers, women's health advocates, and concerned women and their families.
David Fisher, MD, PhD, and an authoritative panel of academic, cutting-edge researchers review and summarize the current state of the field. Describing the broad roles of tumor suppressors from a perspective based in molecular biology and genetics, the authors detail the major suppressors and the pathways they regulate, including cell cycle progression, stress responses, apoptosis, and responses to DNA damage. Leading-edge and forward-looking, Tumor Suppressor Genes in Human Cancer illuminates what is currently known of tumor suppressor genes and their regulation, work that is already beginning to revolutionize cancer target elucidation, drug discovery, and treatment design.
Cancer Genomics for the Clinician is a practical guide to cancer genomics and its application to cancer diagnosis and care. The book begins with a brief overview of the various types of genetic alterations that are encountered in cancer, followed by accessible and applicable information on next generation sequencing technology and bioinformatics; tumor heterogeneity; whole genome, exome, and transcriptome sequencing; epigenomics; and data analysis and interpretation. Each chapter provides essential explanations of concepts, terminology, and methods. Also included are tips for interpreting and analyzing molecular data, as well as a discussion of molecular predictors for targeted therapies covering hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. The final chapter explains the use of FDA-approved genomic-based targeted therapies for breast cancer, lung cancer, sarcomas, gastrointestinal cancers, urologic cancers, head and neck cancer, thyroid cancer, and many more. Assembled in an accessible format specifically designed for the non-expert, this book provides the clinical oncologist, early career practitioner, and trainee with an essential understanding of the molecular and genetic basis of cancer and the clinical aspects that have led to advancements in diagnosis and treatment. With this resource, physicians and trainees will increase their breadth of knowledge and be better equipped to educate patients and families who want to know more about their genetic predispositions to cancer and the targeted therapies that could be considered and prescribed. Key Features: Describes how cancer genomics and next generation sequencing informs cancer screening, risk factors, therapeutic options, and clinical management across cancer types Explains what mutations are, what tests are needed, and how to interpret the results Provides information on FDA-approved targeted therapies that are being used in the clinic Covers different sequencing platforms and technologies and how they perform in research settings Includes access to the fully searchable eBook
This work serves as an introduction to the applications of molecular biology in the field of oncology. It provides a basic understanding of the genetic events involved in fully developed human cancer, including research into inherited and acquired gene defects initiating new neoplasms and the subsequent genetic alterations involved in tumor progression. Some of the specific topics explored include gene control, molecular therapy and antibodies, drug resistance, growth factors and receptors, and tumor biology. While intended primarily as an advanced text for oncologists, postgraduate molecular geneticists and molecular biologists, the book will certainly be of interest to other researchers who frequently encounter cancer in their practice.
One of The Wall Street Journal’s 10 Best Nonfiction Books of the Year Philadelphia, 1959: A scientist scrutinizing a single human cell under a microscope detects a missing piece of DNA. That scientist, David Hungerford, had no way of knowing that he had stumbled upon the starting point of modern cancer research— the Philadelphia chromosome. It would take doctors and researchers around the world more than three decades to unravel the implications of this landmark discovery. In 1990, the Philadelphia chromosome was recognized as the sole cause of a deadly blood cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia, or CML. Cancer research would never be the same. Science journalist Jessica Wapner reconstructs more than forty years of crucial breakthroughs, clearly explains the science behind them, and pays tribute—with extensive original reporting, including more than thirty-five interviews—to the dozens of researchers, doctors, and patients with a direct role in this inspirational story. Their curiosity and determination would ultimately lead to a lifesaving treatment unlike anything before it. The Philadelphia Chromosome chronicles the remarkable change of fortune for the more than 70,000 people worldwide who are diagnosed with CML each year. It is a celebration of a rare triumph in the battle against cancer and a blueprint for future research, as doctors and scientists race to uncover and treat the genetic roots of a wide range of cancers.
The Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine wanted to address the link between environmental factors and the development of cancer in light of recent advances in genomics. They asked what research tools are needed, how new scientific information can be applied in a timely manner to reduce the burden of cancer, and how this can be flexible enough to treat the individual.
Explores the development of the ideas of evolutionary biology, particularly as affected by the increasing understanding of genetics and of the chemical basis of inheritance.
