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Clinical Fellow, Clinical Pharmacology Research Core, Medical Oncology Clinical Research Unit, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda
Head, Molecular Pharmacology Section, Cancer Therapeutics Branch; Head, Clinical Pharmacology Research Core, Medical Oncology Clinical Research Unit, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute Maryland
Published Online, January 11, 2005. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1E452
Purpose: This updated edition to the original Management of Prostate Cancer published in 2000 is one of 11 books in Humana Press' Current Clinical Urology series. The content covers the broad spectrum of prostate cancer, from screening, diagnosis, and prevention to treatment of localized and metastatic disease. All information has been updated and revised compared with the first edition.
Content: The book is divided into 4 parts: Part I: Screening, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Prevention; Part II: Localized Disease: Treatment and Outcomes; Part III: Advanced Disease; and Part IV: Applied Molecular Biology. There is also a CD -Rom included, which contains an eBook version that can be viewed on a PC or Mac, and synchronized with your personal digital assistant.
Part I covers 8 chapters and includes information from mortality and SEER incidence trends to techniques in biopsy and pathology diagnosis. Chapter 1 attempts to explain the difference in prostate cancer incidence in the pre- and post-prostate-specific antigen (PSA) era. The next chapter includes information on total, complexed, and free PSA, as well as other molecular markers. PSA-based screening for the young male is covered, as well as hereditary and genetic risk factors for prostate cancer. The sixth chapter discusses prostate cancer among African Americans and attempts to explain why that population is at greatest risk for this disease. The section concludes with 2 chapters on current issues in pathologic evaluation and current trends in biopsy technique.
More than 350 pages are dedicated to Part II: Localized Disease: Treatment and Outcomes. The section ranges from a discussion on "watchful waiting," and when it is appropriate, to surgical technique for radical prostatectomy. Open, laparoscopic, and perineal approaches are also covered. The chapter on radiation therapy for local disease discusses external beam, intensity-modulated, and particle-beam radiotherapy. Several chapters are devoted to improving quality of life following radical prostatectomy and external-beam radiotherapy. The last 2 chapters of this section are interviews of a prostate cancer survivor and his wife to show their views on the disease. This is a great and novel idea for which the editor should be commended.
The third section, Advanced Disease, covers topics including androgen deprivation, chemotherapy, salvage prostatectomy or radiotherapy, and bone-targeted therapy. One chapter provides detailing when a patient should be referred to a medical oncologist. The final section deals with applied molecular therapy. The first chapter describes the biology of prostate-specific membrane antigen and its potential use as a diagnostic and therapeutic target. The second chapter describes opportunities for targeted molecular therapy. This chapter by Philip Kantoff and colleagues provides a useful overview to newer therapies for prostate cancer.
Usability: This is a very timely and thorough text detailing all aspects of the care of patients with prostate cancer. Each chapter has comprehensive references, which have been updated since the previous edition, as well as an extensive index to help locate that one specific prostate cancer question. Although there is very little information regarding drug therapy for prostate cancer, the editor made an effort to discuss cutting-edge therapies and techniques. We would hope that the editors would expand this area for future editions. Pictures aiding in the description of surgical and radiological techniques, as well as molecular pathways, are well placed and aid in the understanding of these complex topics.
Summary: This well-written textbook provides a thorough review of prostate cancer. This would be a great textbook for medical reference libraries.
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