Cancer research is now an interdisciplinary effort requiring a basic knowledge of commonly used terms, facts, issues, and concepts. This interdisciplinary book meets this need, providing an authoritative overview to the field. It presents many of the molecules and mechanisms generally important in human cancers and examines a broad, but exemplary, selection of cancers. In addition, cancer research has now reached a critical stage, in which the accumulated knowledge on molecular mechanisms is gradually translated into improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This book summarizes the state, pitfalls, and potential of these efforts.
Author(s): Wolfgang A. Schulz
Edition: 2
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 546
City: Cham
Preface
How to Read This Book
Contents
Abbreviations
List of Boxes
Part I: Molecules, Genes, Cells, and Mechanisms
1: An Introduction to Human Cancers
1.1 An Overview of the Cancer Problem
1.2 Causes of Cancer
1.3 Characteristic Properties of Cancers and Cancer Cells
1.4 Metabolic Changes in Cancer
1.5 Characterization and Classification of Cancers in The Clinic
1.6 Cancer Treatment
Further Reading
2: Cancer Genetics
2.1 Cancer as a Genetic Disease
2.2 Genetic Alterations in Cancers
2.3 Inherited Predisposition to Cancer
2.4 Cancer Genes
2.5 Accumulation of Genetic and Epigenetic Changes in Human Cancers
Further Reading
3: DNA Damage and DNA Repair
3.1 DNA Damage and Repair: An Overview
3.2 DNA Mismatch Repair
3.3 Nucleotide Excision Repair
3.4 DNA Strand Break Repair
3.5 DNA Inter-Strand Crosslink Repair
3.6 Deficiencies in DNA Repair and Cancer Susceptibility
3.7 Cell Protection Mechanisms in Cancer
Further Reading
4: Oncogenes
4.1 Retroviral Oncogenes
4.2 Slow-Acting Transforming Retroviruses
4.3 Identification of Human Oncogenes
4.4 Functions of Human Oncogenes: Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and the MAPK Pathway
4.5 Functions of Human Oncogenes: MYC Oncogenes
Further Reading
5: Tumor Suppressor Genes
5.1 Tumor Suppressor Genes in Hereditary Cancers
5.2 RB1 and the Cell Cycle
5.3 TP53 and the Control of Genomic Integrity
5.4 Classification of Tumor Suppressor Genes
Further Reading
6: Cancer Pathways
6.1 Cancer Pathways
6.2 MAPK Signal Transduction Pathways
6.3 The PI3K Pathway
6.4 Interaction of MAPK and PI3K Signaling in Cell Cycle Regulation
6.5 Modulators of the MAPK and PI3K Pathways
6.6 Signaling by TGFΒ Factors
6.7 Signaling Through NFkB
6.8 Signaling Through STAT Factors
6.9 Developmental Regulatory Systems as Cancer Pathways
6.10 Signaling Through Nuclear Receptors
Further Reading
7: Cell Death and Replicative Senescence in Cancer
7.1 Limits to Cell Proliferation
7.2 Replicative Senescence
7.3 Mechanisms to Escape Replicative Senescence in Human Cancers
7.4 Mechanisms of Apoptosis
7.5 Mechanisms Diminishing Apoptosis in Cancer
Further Reading
8: Cancer Epigenetics
8.1 Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance
8.2 DNA Methylation
8.3 Histone Modifications and Regulation of Chromatin Structure
8.4 Genomic Imprinting and X-Chromosome Inactivation
8.5 Epigenetics of Cell Differentiation
Further Reading
9: Invasion and Metastasis
9.1 Invasion and Metastasis as Multistep Processes
9.2 Genes and Proteins Involved in Cell-Cell and Cell-Matrix Adhesion during Invasion and Metastasis
9.3 Genes and Proteins Involved in Extracellular Matrix Remodeling during Tumor Invasion and Metastasis
9.4 Tumor Neoangiogenesis
9.5 Interactions in the Tumor Microenvironment
9.6 Interactions of Invasive Tumors with the Immune System
Further Reading
Part II: Human Cancers
10: Leukemias and Lymphomas
10.1 Properties of Hematological Cancers
10.2 Genetic Aberrations in Leukemias and Lymphomas
10.3 Molecular Alterations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
10.4 Molecular Biology of Burkitt Lymphoma
10.5 Molecular Biology of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
10.6 Molecular Biology of Promyelocytic Leukemia
Further Reading
11: Pediatric Cancers
11.1 Specific Characteristics of Pediatric Tumors
11.2 Histology, Etiology, and Clinical Behavior of Wilms Tumors
11.3 Genetics of Wilms Tumors and the WT1 Gene
11.4 Epigenetics of Wilms Tumors and the Imprinted 11p15 Region
11.5 Testicular Germ Cell Tumors
Further Reading
12: Cancers of the Skin
12.1 Carcinogenesis in the Skin
12.2 Squamous Cell Carcinoma
12.3 Basal Cell Carcinoma
12.4 Melanoma
12.5 Tumor Antigens
Further Reading
13: Colorectal Cancer
13.1 Natural History of Colorectal Cancer
13.2 Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Coli and Other Cancer Syndromes Predisposing to Colorectal Cancer
13.3 Molecular Subtypes of Colorectal Carcinoma
13.4 The WNT Pathway in Colorectal Cancers
13.5 TGFΒ Signaling in Colorectal Cancers
13.6 Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer
Further Reading
14: Bladder Cancer
14.1 Histology and Clinical Course of Bladder Cancer
14.2 Etiology of Bladder Cancer
14.3 Molecular Alterations in Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma
14.4 Molecular Alterations in Urothelial Carcinoma Subtypes
Further Reading
15: Lung Cancer
15.1 Etiology of Lung Cancer
15.2 Carcinogenesis by Cigarette Smoke
15.3 Small Cell Lung Cancer
15.4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Further Reading
16: Renal Cell Carcinomas
16.1 The Diversity of Renal Cancers
16.2 Cytogenetics and Genomics of Renal Cell Carcinomas
16.3 Molecular Genetics of Inherited Kidney Cancers
16.4 Von-Hippel-Lindau Syndrome and Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
16.5 Molecular Genetics of Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
16.6 Molecular Biology of Papillary Renal Cell Carcinomas
16.7 Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy of Renal Carcinomas
Further Reading
17: Liver Cancer
17.1 Etiology of Liver Cancer
17.2 Genetic Alterations in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
17.3 Growth Factors and their Receptors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
17.4 Viruses in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Further Reading
18: Stomach Cancer
18.1 Etiology of Stomach Cancer
18.2 Helicobacter pylori as a Biological Carcinogen in Stomach Cancer
18.3 Diffuse-Type Gastric Cancer
18.4 Metaplasia and Gastric Cancer
Further Reading
19: Breast Cancer
19.1 Etiology of Breast Cancer
19.2 Biology of Mammary Tissue
19.3 Classification of Breast Cancers
19.4 Estrogen Signaling in Breast Cancer
19.5 ERBB Proteins in Breast Cancer
19.6 The BRCA Genes and Hereditary Breast Cancer
Further Reading
20: Prostate Cancer
20.1 Epidemiology of Prostate Cancer
20.2 Genetics, Genomics, and Epigenetics of Prostate Cancer
20.3 Targeting the Androgen Response in Prostate Cancer
20.4 Tumor–Stroma Interactions in Prostate Cancer
Further Reading
Untitled
Part III: Prevention, Diagnostics, and Therapy
21: Cancer Prevention
21.1 The Importance of Cancer Prevention
21.2 Primary Prevention
21.3 Cancer Prevention and Diet
21.4 Prevention of Cancers in High-Risk Populations
21.5 Prevention of Prostate Cancer by Screening
Further Reading
22: Cancer Diagnostics
22.1 The Evolving Scope of Molecular Diagnostics
22.2 Molecular Diagnosis of Hematological Cancers
22.3 Molecular Detection of Carcinomas
22.4 Molecular Classification of Carcinomas
22.5 Prediction of Response to Therapy
22.6 Pharmacogenetics
Further Reading
23: Cancer Therapy
23.1 Limitations of Current Cancer Therapies
23.2 Molecular Mechanisms of Cytotoxic Cancer Chemotherapy
23.3 Principles of Targeted Anti-Cancer Drug Therapy
23.4 Targeted Drug Cancer Therapies: Pioneers
23.5 Newer Targeted Drug Cancer Therapies
23.6 Cancer Immunotherapies
23.7 Genetic Cancer Therapies: Gene Therapy, RNA-Based Drugs, and Oncolytic Viruses
23.8 Prospects for Cancer Therapy
Further Reading
Index
