The Impact of Tumor Biology on Cancer Treatment and Multidisciplinary Strategies (Medical Radiology: Radiation Oncology)

About this book

• Provides a detailed overview of the fundamentals of tumor biology and the influence of various biologic factors on the design of therapeutic strategies and the outcome of established and emerging treatments
• Particular attention is devoted to multidisciplinary combined modality therapy
• All of the chapters have been written by experienced basic scientists, clinical researchers, and cancer professionals

This book provides an overview of the fundamentals of tumor biology and the influence of various biologic factors, including inhomogeneity of cancer cells, microenvironment, and host factors, on the design of therapeutic strategies and the outcome of established and emerging treatments. Particular attention is devoted to multidisciplinary combined modality therapy. The topics reviewed include tumorigenesis, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, physiology of malignant tissues, adhesion and invasion, development of metastases, and the role of the immune system in cancer development. Subsequent chapters focus on cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. The principles of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and molecularly targeted therapy are discussed, treatment resistance is explained, and strategies for rational combinations are provided, including the design of translational studies. Furthermore, the principles and clinical implications of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, such as gene expression profiling, gene transfer and silencing, proteomics, and molecular imaging, are presented. The chapters in this book have been written by an outstanding group of basic scientists, clinical researchers, and cancer professionals with long experience in the field. Their aim is to educate and inspire all those who devote most of their work to research into cancer and its treatment.

Written for: Practitioners, professionals, scientists/researchers and clinicians in the fields radiation oncology, oncology, cancer biology, surgical oncology, radiation biology, pathology.

Keywords:

• Cancer
• Cancer Biology
• Cancer Treatment
• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy

Table of contents

Tumorigenesis.- Tumor Growth and Cell Proliferation.- Angiogenesis.- Tumor Physiology (Phenomenology).- Adhesion, Invasion, Integrins and Beyond.- Development of Metastases.- Role of the Immune System in Cancer Development and Therapeutic Implications.- Cancer Prevention .- Tumor Detection by Morphological and Biological Imaging.- Tumor Detection by Biological Markers (Serum, Urine, Breathing Gas, Proteomics).- Quantitative Cell Kill by Chemo- and Radiotherapy.- Impact of Molecularly Targeted Agents on Cell Kill in Bi- or Trimodal Approaches (i.e. plus Chemo, Radio-, or Radiochemotherapy).- Translational Studies for Target-Based Drugs.- Molecular Mechanisms of Treatment Resistance.- Physiological Mechanisms of Treatment Resistance.- Influence of Repopulation on Treatment Resistance.- Molecular Tools, Gene Expression Profiling.- Strategies of Gene Transfer/Silencing and Technical Considerations.- Tumor Biology’s Impact on Clinical Cure Rates.- Can Dose-Escalated Radiotherapy Eventually Cure All Biologically Distinct Subsets of a Certain Tumor Type? Answers from Stereotactic Lung and Liver Radiotherapy Experience.-Low-Dose Radiotherapy – A Chemopotentiator?.- Treatment of the Primary Tumor in Metastatic Cancer: Influence on Outcome.- Subject Index.- List of Contributors.