Provides a clear, concise and authoritative introduction to the biological principles that underlie the causes and treatment of cancer.

Detailed contents Preface Preface to the second edition Preface to the first edition Acknowledgements Basic science, terminology and abbreviations 1. What is cancer? Introduction Carcinogenesis requires several cellular changes Lifestyle and family influences on cancer Changes continue to accumulate after cancer formation Cancers are most common in epithelial cells Cancer results from uncontrolled growth Cancer genes Invasion and metastasis Some cancers are curable Prevention, screening and treatment Further reading Websites 2. Natural history: the life of a cancer Introduction Clonal origins of cancer Experimental biology Box2.1: Special mice used in cancer research Clinical data Linking laboratory and clinic 3. Pathology: defining a neoplasm Introduction Box3.1: Classifying cancers Histopathology Cytology Immunohistochemistry Molecular techniques Further reading 4. Epidemiology: identifying causes for human cancers Introduction Descriptive epidemiology Box4.1: Epidemiological methods and terminology Analytical epidemiology Criteria required to establish causality Biomarkers Molecular epidemiology Factors that influence human carcinogenesis Cancer prevention Further reading 5. Oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes and viruses Introduction Box5.1: Molecular terms relevant to genes and their regulation Oncogenes Tumour suppressor genes Oncogenes and tumour suppressors cooperate Further reading 6. Chemical and radiation carcinogenesis Introduction Chemical carcinogenesis Radiation carcinogenesis Consequences of DNA damage Predicting the type of carcinogen by mutational spectrum analysis Further reading 7. Mutations, DNA repair and genetic instability Introduction Mutations Genetic instability Types of DNA damage Clinical evidence that links DNA repair and carcinogenesis Repair mechanisms Coordination of DNA repair, proliferation and apoptosis Further reading 8. Familial cancers Introduction Box8.1: Chromosome nomenclature and structure Strong familial link Weaker familial link Connection with sporadic cancers Further reading 9. Growth: a balance of cell proliferation, death and differentiation Introduction Normal proliferation and its regulation Box9.1: BNA synthesis and telomere length Cancer cells Senescence, cell mortality and telomerase Cell death Apoptosis and cancer Integration of proliferation, apoptosis and DNA repair Differentiation Further reading 10. Responding to the environment: growth regulation and signal transduction General features Growth factors Growth factor receptors Growth factors: from membrane to nucleus Nuclear events stimulated by growth factors Cell adhesion molecules Box10.1: How a cell interacts with its environment Hydrophobic growth regulatory molecules Cross-talk between signalling pathways Further reading 11. Invasion and metastasis Introduction General features Escape from local control and invasion Intravasation Angiogenesis Gene changes involved in metastasis Further reading 12. Principles of cancer treatment Introduction Principles behind