Prognostic and Predictive Factors in Breast Cancer
http://www.100md.com
《新英格兰医药杂志》
Prognostic and Predictive Factors in Breast Cancer is a well-written, compact reference book. All 25 contributors are from Europe, including 16 from the United Kingdom, which makes the book heavily weighted toward European references and standards. Nonetheless, for U.S. readers, the book is an excellent and comprehensive collection of information related to prognostic markers in breast cancer.
The book begins with an extensive survey of traditional prognostic markers based on morphology. Since these markers still represent the standard of care, this section is a valuable review in a historical context for physicians in training, as well as a useful reference for more senior practitioners. The book then proceeds to the numerous ancillary prognostic and predictive tests, in no apparent order. The most commonly used markers — hormone receptors, proliferation markers, and HER2 — are all given their own chapters, but these are scattered about the book. Other less commonly used serum and tissue markers are also included. Overall, the book is comprehensive, except for the omission of any discussion of growth factor receptors other than HER2 and of issues relating to circulating cancer cells. The absence of these topics and the absence of a discussion about BRCA genes are justified because this book is focused on predictive and prognostic factors and is not a general review of breast cancer.
The biggest problem with a book that attempts to review fast-moving fields such as breast cancer is that by the time it is published, some material is obsolete and the newest areas are not covered. For instance, this book has no discussion of sentinel-node analysis and clinical trials of trastuzumab, which were still in progress when it was written. Other deficiencies are minimal. The fact that multiple authors contributed is evident in that many of the chapter introductions are redundant. A second deficiency is the lack of discussion of quantitative immunohistochemistry. In the United States, the earlier microscope-based device and newer devices that do quantitative analysis of brown staining (peroxidase) have had a controversial role in prognostication in breast cancer. Finally, all books have some typographic errors that can largely be ignored. Unfortunately, this book has critically omitted the Greek characters and in the discussion of estrogen receptors. Although most of the discussion is related to the receptor, the discussion of studies comparing the two is almost unreadable.
The chapters on biologic classes of potential or emerging prognostic markers, such as adhesion molecules, mitogen-activated protein kinase, family members, and allelic imbalances are very well written, with enough information to introduce the reader to the critical issues in each area. The authors also do an excellent job of presenting both the positive and negative sides of these issues, particularly in the discussion of occult metastases, for which there are insufficient data for conclusive recommendations. Finally — perhaps the strongest feature of the book — the summary tables in many chapters provide an overview of the topic. The tables show study results in each area and distill the salient data, which are then combined into summary fields that provide an excellent overview. Many of these summaries undoubtedly will show up in lectures to medical students and doctors in training. The book has many other strong points and will be a valuable addition to libraries, especially at teaching institutions.
David Rimm, M.D., Ph.D.
Yale University School of Medicine
New Haven, CT 06520-8023(Rosemary A. Walker. 219 p)
The book begins with an extensive survey of traditional prognostic markers based on morphology. Since these markers still represent the standard of care, this section is a valuable review in a historical context for physicians in training, as well as a useful reference for more senior practitioners. The book then proceeds to the numerous ancillary prognostic and predictive tests, in no apparent order. The most commonly used markers — hormone receptors, proliferation markers, and HER2 — are all given their own chapters, but these are scattered about the book. Other less commonly used serum and tissue markers are also included. Overall, the book is comprehensive, except for the omission of any discussion of growth factor receptors other than HER2 and of issues relating to circulating cancer cells. The absence of these topics and the absence of a discussion about BRCA genes are justified because this book is focused on predictive and prognostic factors and is not a general review of breast cancer.
The biggest problem with a book that attempts to review fast-moving fields such as breast cancer is that by the time it is published, some material is obsolete and the newest areas are not covered. For instance, this book has no discussion of sentinel-node analysis and clinical trials of trastuzumab, which were still in progress when it was written. Other deficiencies are minimal. The fact that multiple authors contributed is evident in that many of the chapter introductions are redundant. A second deficiency is the lack of discussion of quantitative immunohistochemistry. In the United States, the earlier microscope-based device and newer devices that do quantitative analysis of brown staining (peroxidase) have had a controversial role in prognostication in breast cancer. Finally, all books have some typographic errors that can largely be ignored. Unfortunately, this book has critically omitted the Greek characters and in the discussion of estrogen receptors. Although most of the discussion is related to the receptor, the discussion of studies comparing the two is almost unreadable.
The chapters on biologic classes of potential or emerging prognostic markers, such as adhesion molecules, mitogen-activated protein kinase, family members, and allelic imbalances are very well written, with enough information to introduce the reader to the critical issues in each area. The authors also do an excellent job of presenting both the positive and negative sides of these issues, particularly in the discussion of occult metastases, for which there are insufficient data for conclusive recommendations. Finally — perhaps the strongest feature of the book — the summary tables in many chapters provide an overview of the topic. The tables show study results in each area and distill the salient data, which are then combined into summary fields that provide an excellent overview. Many of these summaries undoubtedly will show up in lectures to medical students and doctors in training. The book has many other strong points and will be a valuable addition to libraries, especially at teaching institutions.
David Rimm, M.D., Ph.D.
Yale University School of Medicine
New Haven, CT 06520-8023(Rosemary A. Walker. 219 p)