Understanding Carcinogenesis - An Introduction to the Molecular Basis of Cancer

Cancer, the second leading cause of death, is a heterogeneous group of over 100 diseases. It is characterized by disordered and deregulated cellular and stromal proliferation accompanied by reduced cell death. At the molecular level, cancer is a genetic disease that develops due to the accumulation of mutations over time in somatic cells.This book is a concise, up-to-date introduction to the molecular basis of carcinogenesis. The author manages to present both the basic and the clinical areas while retaining a simple and concise style.Following an introduction to fundamental concepts related to the clonality of the tumors and the hypermutability of the cancer cells, he continues with a description of genes involved in the process of carcinogenesis and concludes with more complex phenomena of tumor biology, such as therole of the tumor stroma and the metastatic process. A whole section on specific topics includes pharmacogenomics and viral carcinogenesis. In addition, he describes human and animal models of the disease, emphasizing their advantages and their limitations, rounding off with unifying concepts, as well as ongoing and future perspectives. The book makes good use of simple graphs to underline the notions described in the text, a feature that particularly aids comprehension.With a foreword by Nobel laureate Andrew V. Schally.

List of contents

Introduction
BASIC ASPECTS
Some Introductory Concepts in Tumor Biology: Clonal Evolution and Autonomy Versus Non-autonomy of the Cancer Cells
Cells Life and Death: Cell Cycle, Senescence and Apoptosis
GENES INVOLVED IN CARCINOGENESIS
Oncogenes
Tumor Supressor Genes
Genomic Instability
A Twist in the (Genetic) Tail: Cancer Epigenetics
Non-autonomous Interactions in Carcinogenesis: The Role of Tumor Stroma
Telomerase and Cellular Immortality
Tumor Angiogenesis
Metastasis
SPECIFIC TOPICS
The Tissue Context as a Determinant of the Tumor-suppressive of Oncogenetic Function of Certain Genes
Cancer Stem Cells
Determination of Therapeutic Efficacy-Pharmacogenomics
Certain Chemicals Induce Cancer: Chemical Carcinogenesis
Hormones and Cancer
Viral Oncogenesis
UNIFYING THE CONCEPTS
Co-operation of Multiple Biological Processes is needed for the Development of Full-fledged Malignancy
Carcinogenesis in Vivo: Animal Models and Basic Approaches to Generate Genetically Modified Animals
Multistage Carcinogenesis in Humans: The Colon Cancer Model
FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
Epilogue

About the author

Hippokratis Kiaris was trained in Biology at the University of Athens. After post-doctoral work at the National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens and the Medical School, University of Crete he joined the Molecular Genetics and Oncology Group at the University of Liverpool. From 1998 to 2000 he was appointed research instructor at Tulane University Medical School in the group of Nobel Laureate Andrew Schally. In 2000 Hippokratis Kiaris took up a position at the MGH Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, before he returned to the University of Athens in 2002.His research interests are in role of growth hormone-releasing hormone in carcinogenesis, the notch signaling in mammary gland development and carcinogenesis, and the mechanistic aspects of tumor-stroma interactions.

Report

"Nobelpreisträger Andrew V. Schally hat die Einführung zu diesem Buch verfasst, das den aktuellen Stand der molekularen Krebsforschung widerspiegelt. Nach Basisinformationen zur Tumorbiologie geht der Autor auf Gene ein, die bei der Krebsentstehung eine Rolle spielen. Ein anspruchsvolles Werk, das an genetisches Grundwissen anknüpft und interessante Einblicke in ein innovatives Gebiet bietet." Die P.T.A

"Das Buch ist als gute aktuelle Einleitung in das Thema der molekularen Basis der Karzinogenese zu verstehen. Es ist vor allem Wissenschaftlern und Ärzten zu empfehlen, die sich neu mit dem Thema der Tumorentstehung auseinandersetzen und sich einen ersten Überblick zu diesem Thema verschaffen wollen."
Arzneimittel-Forschung / Drug Research

Product details

• Authors: Hippokratis Kiaris
• Publisher: Wiley-VCH
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.04.2015
• EAN: 9783527314867
• ISBN: 978-3-527-31486-7
• No. of pages: 178
• Dimensions: 184 mm x 243 mm x 15 mm
• Weight: 492 g
• Illustrations: 64 SW-Abb., 2 Tabellen
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Microbiology