Publisher's Synopsis
What were considered to be unrelated research objectives a few years ago have converged to provide unlimited opportunites for exploring and understanding the molecular basis of human disease. Moreover, for most of this century, cancer research was dependent on avian and rodent model systems for the study of neoplastic transformation, but during the past decade the advances in research and technology have permitted an extraordinary and substantial shift in focus to direct human based studies. This astonishing accomplishment results from technological advances that allow qualitative and quantitative measurements that are highly accurate and fundamentally noninvasive. Although cancer may well become the leading cause of death in the US by the 21st century, we can fully expect during the next decade revolutionary changes in cancer diagnosis and management. This monograph discusses the major advances that have taken place in the understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of cancer in recent years. The quest for a molecular basis of cancer has exploded in a wealth of information that will impact on cancer therapy well into the future.
