Principles of Cancer Genetics

This popular textbook, now in its third edition, provides a theoretical framework for understanding why cancers arise, how they develop and how they can be treated.

Particular attention is devoted to the origins of cancer and the application of evolutionary theory to explain how mutant cell populations tend to expand and spread. Focused on the genes and signaling pathways involved in the most common tumors, Principles of Cancer Genetics is a highly readable account that will be of interest to anyone who would like to attain a basic understanding of cancer biology. Students who have completed introductory coursework in genetics, biology and biochemistry, medical students and medical house staff will find this book to be a useful starting point toward mastery of this complex but fascinating topic. This updated edition delves into the critical interactions between growing tumors and the immune system, and introduces the concepts of T cell activation, immunoediting and immune evasion. Novel strategies for cancer diagnosis and prognosis, including new roles for next-generation sequencing and liquid biopsies, as well as established and emerging therapeutic modalities are now described in detail.

For laypersons, students and researchers in other fields with a general interest in cancer, this book provides an accessible overview, enriched with many easy-to-understand illustrations. For advanced students considering future study in the field of oncology and cancer research, this concise book is a useful guide to the basic principles that underlie our understanding of cancer.