Cancer Biology » (4th Edition)

Ruddon, Raymond W., MD, PhD (Univ of Michigan)

Substantially expanded in its second edition, Cancer Biology incorporates the important recent advances in research on the cellular and molecular biology of cancer and provides a comprehensive discussion of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis. The text describes the malignant transformation of cells, the invasiveness of cancer cells into host tissues, and the metastatic spread of diseased cells into the host organism. In addition to a new chapter on the biology of tumor metastasis, there are three new chapters on cancer causation, dealing with the chemical and physical carcinogens; viruses and oncogenes; and chromosomal abnormalities and gene depression. Updated material on growth factors and their receptors, differentiation, and the cell matrix is also presented, and the pathophysiology of cancer as a clinical disease is discussed. Praise for the first edition: "Highly recommended for readers who wish to spend several hours with a well-written, well-selected, effectively illustrated, and well-integrated overview of the sciences that join to make up the field of tumor biology."— The New England Journal of Medicine. "I can think of no better introduction for a graduate student to contemporary cancer research, especially at the cellular level."—G.A. Currie in The Times Higher Education Supplement. "Ruddon provides a status report in a rapidly moving field. The material is will presented and current, and includes excellent essays on differentiation, phenotype expression, genetic mutation, and tumor growth.... A welcome contrast to multiauthor oncologic behemoths that are too heavy to carry and too expensive to acquire."—Journal of the American Medical Association

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Jill C. Pelling, PhD(Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)
Description:This comprehensive book reviews the principles and mechanisms of carcinogenesis as well as the epidemiology of human cancer, cancer diagnosis, and cancer prevention. A wide spectrum of important topics are covered, including the characteristics of cancer, causes, epidemiology, cancer cell biochemistry and molecular genetics, tumor immunology, and cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. All nine chapters have been updated from the third edition published in 1995.
Purpose:The purpose is to provide students, as well as basic and translational cancer researchers and clinical researchers, with a common framework of the fundamental concepts and pathways of carcinogenesis as well as perspectives on future directions and issues in the field of cancer biology. As with the previous three editions, a significant strength of this book is the discussion of key historical discoveries and advances in cancer research over the past 230 years. A laudable goal of this fourth edition is to educate graduate students who are beginning their training on the important discoveries made by the early pioneers in the fields of experimental, clinical, and epidemiological cancer research.
Audience:The author has targeted this book at advanced students and researchers in the fields of cancer biology and translational cancer research.
Features:Excellent chapters cover the major topics in cancer biology and include extensive bibliography sections. The black-and-white diagrams are for the most part clear and well executed. New to this edition are a series of color glossy figures that illustrate a number of signaling pathways as well as schematics that illustrate various methodologies such as dual-modality reporter gene imaging, MALDI-tof mass spectrometry, and microarray analysis by hierarchical clustering.
Assessment:Overall this is a well crafted book for graduate students and cancer researchers who wish to learn more about the key concepts and pathways involved in the rapidly advancing field of cancer biology.