Screening and Monitoring of Cancer (New Horizons in Oncology)

Recent advances in the diagnosis of malignant and premalignant lesions include the use of biological and biochemical markers, new imaging techniques, greater resolution of chemical change in tissue, and improved techniques in cytological and nucleoprotein measurement. This book aims to evaluate the likely impact of these new developments on screening and monitoring in solid cancer, and to set out the current state of the art. It covers the topic of screening and surveillance in a systematic manner, starting with a critical review of recent technological advances. It then surveys the application of such techniques to the screening of high risk groups in the most common types of solid cancer, and also their use in monitoring for metastases at specific sites. Finally it discusses the application of these newly developing methods to the ultimate goal of individualised management according to specific characteristics of the disease in each patient. The need for monitoring of tumour cell mass in the sequential treatment of cancer is stressed, and the rapid advances being made in that direction are presented This book contains a great deal of information on the subject of cancer screening and monitoring, much of which would otherwise be very difficult to locate because of its diverse nature. It provides an up-to-date and detailed overview of the subject for all clinicians involved in the management of cancer patients.