Prominent investigators and clinicians summarize in a balanced blend of fundamental science, basic research, experimental therapeutics, and early clinical experiences, what is known about oncogenes and oncogenesis, and describe how that knowledge can be used to treat the cancer. The contributors explain how, why, and under what conditions certain proteins acquire the ability to transform eukaryotic cells, and detail the crucial biological consequences of this oncogenic transformation, particularly for cellular mitogenesis, survival, differentiation, migration, proteolysis, or angiogenic...

There are many steps on the road from discovery of an anticancer drug to securing its final approval by the Food and Drug Administration. In this thoroughly updated and expanded second edition of the Handbook of Anticancer Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, leading investigators synthesize an invaluable overview of the experimental and clinical processes of anticancer drug development, creating a single indispensable reference that covers all the steps from the identification of cancer-specific molecular targets to screening techniques and the development and validation of bioanalytical...

An authoritative survey of the scientific background for therapeutic cancer vaccines, the challenges to their development, and their current uses in treating cancer. The authors examine the basic issues that effect all vaccines (such as immune adjuvants and prime-boost strategies), describe the methods for antigen discovery, and review the preclinical development phases for each major vaccine strategy. They also spell out the clinical results for cancer vaccines now beginning to be used in the treatment of many common cancers.

This unique volume traces the critically important pathway by which a "molecule" becomes an "anticancer agent. " The recognition following World War I that the administration of toxic chemicals such as nitrogen mustards in a controlled manner could shrink malignant tumor masses for relatively substantial periods of time gave great impetus to the search for molecules that would be lethal to specific cancer cells. Weare still actively engaged in that search today. The question is how to discover these "anticancer" molecules. Anticancer Drug Development Guide: Preclinical Screening, Clinical...

A cutting-edge review of the important issues underlying the therapeutic use of nucleic acid-mediated gene silencing. Topics range from basic methodology and delivery to targeting and clinical targets. The authors thoroughly explain the latest developments in RNA biology, as well as the underpinnings of RNA interference, oligodeoxynucleotide delivery into cells, and strategies for targeting these molecules to accessible regions within the mRNA. They also provide some examples of how these new therapeutic compounds are being used clinically.

This book will cover primary roles of NKT cells in immunity to cancer, in both mouse tumor models and cancer patients. There are several chapters describing general aspects of NKT cells.

The book will detail the history, successes, and failures of targeted therapies for cancer, with a particular focus on IGF systems and cancer.

Antifolates are an important class of anticancer drugs originally developed as anti leu- kemic agents, but now used, usually in combination with other drugs, for the treatment of a wide range of tumors, notably carcinomas of the head and neck, breast, germ cell tumors, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and osteogenic sar- comas. 5-Fluorouracil and its prodrugs also target, in part, the folate-dependent enzyme, thymidylate synthase. Furthermore, folate supplementation in the form of leucovorin, modulates 5-fluororuacil activity. 5-Fluorouracil is widely used in the...

​This volume contains a collection of writings from the leaders in the fields of Molecular Biology and Melanoma Research which will begin to tell the ever-expanding story of the most recent findings, discoveries, and potential of BRAF-directed targets in melanoma. Recent research has shown that BRAF inhibitors are effective for a short period of time, but there is little hope that this drugs as single agents will lead to durable benefit in a majority of patients. Among scientists and researchers who work in drug discovery, there is a lot of interest in the development of molecularly...