Clinicians, patients and scientists, alike, have been battling cancer for over several decades; however, patient outcomes have not significantly improved over the years with conventional therapies. In recent years, this has caused researchers to look for a change in the status quo, and, the awareness of the human immune system, which has an intrinsic mechanism to control microbial pathogens and dysfunctional self-tissues, has triggered scientists to look for new modes of cancer therapy. Cancer Immunotherapy has become a major research field as a result of these efforts, gaining some recognition for notable breakthroughs in cancer patient prognosis. Frontiers in Cancer Immunology collectively presents the methods which have been studied and used in cancer immunotherapy based on the different components of human immune system. The series will give clinicians and immunologists a roadmap of current trends in all branches of cancer immunology. This volume lists the major immune system components (such as T cells and NK cells and associated antigens/antibodies) which have been demonstrated to limit the growth of or kill tumor cells. Relevant applications in cancer therapy are also included in addition to a general introduction to engineered as well as targeted cancer immunotherapies (cancer vaccines).

Over the past decades, systems biology approaches have been applied in different areas of life science research including oncology. Researchers now understand the hallmarks of cancer cells such as abnormal cell growth, inflammation, dysregulated metabolic pathways and drug resistance properties at a molecular level. Systems biology approaches have enabled researchers to investigate cancer immunology by identifying cancer related biomarkers on immune cells, and to study the effect of different therapies in tissue cultures and mouse models. Systems Biology in Cancer Immunotherapy explains the scope of systems biology in understanding the immune response to neoplasms. The book introduces readers to the concepts crucial to cancer immunology before delving into the applied systems biology topics such as the metabolic pathways in cancer cells, the biomolecular roles of signal transduction molecules and their respective biochemical pathways ad cancer immunotherapy. A brief conclusion at the end also provides some information from a clinical and commercial perspective on cancer immunotherapy. This volume is intended as an introductory reference for life science and medical students, researchers and academics interested in the application of systems biology to the immune system in oncology research and chemotherapy practice.

This book focuses on the lung cancer, which is the mostly encountered, and one of the most challenging malignant disease of the world. Worldwide, the annual number of new cases of lung cancer is estimated at more than one million and is expected to increase to ten million in 2025. Fortunately, the political efforts to reduce the use of tobacco are getting increasing attention in many countries and the statistics are now showing the first positive results. Over the last decade there have been several improvements and changes in the lung cancer management. Among the epidemiologic changes we see a change in the histopathologic pattern, with a relative decrease in squamous cell carcinoma and a rise in adenocarcinoma. Much research is attempting to identify biomarkers to predict a high risk for developing lung cancer. This will be important for implementing screening and prevention strategies. There is a steady improvement of the overall management of lung cancer based on an increasing use of combined modality therapy, consisting of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy applied concurrently or sequentially in early stage disease. Furthermore, new techniques are gaining ground, both within surgery and radiotherapy, and targeted medical therapy is being offered to more and more patients. This book is not intended as a comprehensive textbook, but as a concise summary of advances in lung cancer clinical research and treatment for the clinician. The textbook brings up-to-date information about lung cancer, based on worldwide experience, for the use of the many physicians involved in this field. All of the authors have been selected for their expertise and proven achievement in these challenging fields; I would like to sincerely thank all of them for participating with enthusiasm in this project. I hope that the different contributions will help the readers to fill in the gaps and stimulate them for future developments.

<p></p> Perspectives in Lung Cancer compiles basic and advanced topics on lung cancer pathology and treatment in a single volume. Chapters introduce the reader to chest and lung anatomy followed by the biology of lung cancer. Subsequent chapters delve into diagnostic methods for lung cancer while progressing into treatment options. The book culminates into an explanation of the concept of the Lung Cancer Centre, which is a representation of the editors’ vision for organizing a lung cancer treatment unit. <p></p> Key features: <p></p> *Organises key topics covering both standard and avante-garde topics related to lung cancer <p></p> *All contributions are presented by experts in lung cancer treatment <p></p> *Addresses basic biology of lung cancer <p></p> *Provides information about 3D surgical planning, a relatively new concept in the field of thoracic surgery <p></p> *Addresses the standard method of resection, VATS and Mini VATS <p></p> *Covers the role of radiation and systemic anti-cancer therapies in lung cancer treatment <p></p> *Provides a glimpse of modern methods such as image guided surgery and therapy, laser therapy, and photodynamic therapy <p></p> *Covers the role of palliative care for lung cancer <p></p> *Presents information about a visionary organization of a lung cancer unit and treatment centre. <p></p> The combination of carefully organised chapters covering a wide array of topics makes this reference an essential reference for healthcare professionals interested in acquiring a broad perspective on lung cancer treatment with the goal of improving patient outcomes. <p></p>

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a life-threatening neoplasm of the mesothelium, the layer of tissue that covers many organs in the human body. The incidence of this type of neoplasm is gradually increasing among the global human population. Mesothelioma prognosis in patients is usually poor and their life expectancy is significantly reduced. This edited monograph presents holistic information about malignant mesothelioma in one volume. Readers will gain knowledge of the etiology, immunopathology of this disease and will understand the rationale for new treatment methods. The initial section of the book gives the historical context of mesothelioma in medicine. Subsequent sections illustrate mesothelioma epidemiology with respect to the problem of asbestos diffusion in different areas of the world such as Europe, The Americas, East Asia, Australia and Africa. This is followed by chapters detailing current information about asbestos and non-asbestos molecular biology and etiopathogenesis, as well as intriguing insights from human genetics and translational medicine. Other sections in this volume focus on clinical information; mesothelioma diagnosis and staging are thoroughly described with a focus on serum biomarkers and pleural liquid cytology. Additional sections provide information on treatment modalities, with one section dedicated to surgical procedures. Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Present Status and Future Directions is a comprehensive informational resource with well organized sections, aided by protocol charts, tables and figures. The book is essential for both medical oncology students and specialists who want to augment or update their knowledge about this neoplasm.

The advancements in molecular marker discovery, genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics in recent years have enabled researchers to develop targeted therapies against cancers. Cancer research and management is multi-disciplinary and multimodal. In addition to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, targeted immunotherapy has also provided considerable success in the clinic. There is also scientific evidence on the impact of alternative therapies on cancer patients. Modern Cancer Therapies and Traditional Medicine: An Integrative Approach to Combat Cancers summarizes the general aspects of cancer therapy and management. Chapters cover cancer medicine in two broad sections, the book presents comprehensive information on a diverse range of cancer treatments. The first section covers conventional molecular oncology and therapy including targeted therapies, immunotherapies, cancer signaling pathways and the use of computational techniques. The second section focuses on traditional methods of treatment including the role of nutrition, traditional medicine, Yoga and Ayurveda in cancer prevention and management. The book is an accessible update of the state of the art in cancer diagnostics and therapy for students and academicians at all levels.

The WHO report estimates that 12 million people will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year. In addition, the report predicts that more than 7 million people will die early from the disease. Together, the number of cancer cases and deaths from cancer are expected to increase by one percent each year. Cancer research has seen remarkable advancements, including the multi-step carcinogenesis theory and the identification of a cancer stem cell. These advancements are being applied to clinical therapies targeting the oncogene. In addition, the function of the gene product is becoming clear through analysis of the intracellular signaling of the oncogene. As a result, it has become clear that the morphologies of the cancers depend on the kind of the abnormal gene. Of course, these differences would influence patient&amp;rsquo;s life and death and is summarized by specialists in this area. This theme includes the full range of human diseases regarding medical genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, anatomy, pathology, structural biology, molecular cell biology, neuroscience and developmental biology. The eBook contains articles written by specialists in this area. It should prove to be of great use to clinicians and scientists in all medical fields.

Multiple Myeloma (MM), the second most common blood cancer in adults, is a clonal plasma cell malignancy within the bone marrow characterized by osteolytic bone lesions, renal disease, and immunodeficiency. It is now well established that MM cell- induced disruption of the bone marrow homeostasis between the highly organized cellular and extracellular compartments supports MM cell proliferation, survival, migration, and drug resistance via activation of various signaling pathways. Based on this knowledge, the prototypic drugs thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide, which target both MM cells and the bone marrow microenvironment, have already fundamentally changed treatment options of this disease. Indeed, their benefit is now not only shown in relapsed and refractory disease but they also improve overall response, duration of response, and progression-free and overall survival when used as part of first-line regimens. However, despite new insights into MM pathogenesis and exciting derived therapeutic advances, MM still remains incurable. Ongoing studies are therefore aiming to further delineate mechanisms of MM pathogenesis within the bone marrow to identify novel agents with enhanced cytotoxicity and decreased drug resistance to improve patient outcome. Multiple Myeloma - A New Era of Treatment Strategies is devoted to contributions from eminent scientists providing readers with comprehensive accounts of the most recent developments in the field of MM research. It addresses the interests of scientists and clinical investigators in MM research as well as other fields of oncology, in which the microenvironment is believed to play an important role.

Various estimates suggest that between 30-40% of all human cancers are related to dietary patterns. Strong epidemiological evidence from population and twin studies points to dietary constituents that either contribute or protect against the development of various forms of cancer. This e-book reviews some traditional and relatively new areas of nutrition and cancer. Epidemiological data is combined with molecular biology research and, where available, clinical trial data. The emerging science of &quot;Nutrigenomics&quot; is discussed with chapters on the biological role of various nutrition components from red wine, peppers, green tea, fish oil, cruciferous vegetables, retinoids; and the intersection of nutrition and epigenetics in hematopoiesis. This e-book will be of interest to researchers in the nutrition and cancer field, physicians in family and community medicine, internal medicine and oncology, as well as dieticians providing counseling to cancer patients and cancer survivors.

This informative book provides a wealth of information on ovarian cancer. The book opens with a discussion of contemporary management of this disease with commentary on surgery and clinical trials: neoadjuvant, dose-dense, and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC}, as well as immunotherapy, vaccine therapy, emerging therapies. This is followed by presentations on ovarian cancer pathology. A chapter is devoted to methods of drug discovery through a functional genomics approach, with gene expression microarray databases available in public data repositories such as Public Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO} and validation using immunohistochemistry or Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Next, the book explores the psycho-social issues that may be encountered by an ovarian cancer patient, including commentary on pain, fertility, anxiety, depression, demoralization, caregiver burnout, and end-of-life. The final chapter represents a step out from mainstream medical practice and provides an exposition of the mind-body interaction and the powerful role of belief in the healing process, with discussions of the placebo effect, nocebo effect, and numerous research studies that demonstrate the tremendous influence of our beliefs on our bodies and well-being. <p></p> Key Features: - Provides a holistic view of ovarian cancer - Covers both conventional medical research topics and key social issues encountered by patients, caregivers and medical professionals. - Explains cancer pathology and related concepts with the help of illustrations and notes on future directions - Features commentary from experts in ovarian cancer treatment - Written in a reader-friendly style suitable for a wide range of readers <p></p> Ovarian Cancer – Challenges and Innovations is a comprehensive reference about ovarian cancer for medical students, residents, practitioners, healthcare support staff (nurses, physician assistants), medical researchers and scientists, as well as patients and interested laypersons seeking to improve their current knowledge of ovarian cancer