When approaching a patient with congenital malformations, it is important to take a detailed family history and pregnancy history and perform a detailed physical examination observing associated abnormal features. Pregnancy history should include any illnesses, environmental exposures, medications, and use of illicit drugs as well as any complications of chronic medical illnesses (e.g., gestational diabetes). Taking note of both major structural defects and minor dysmorphic features may help to establish a unifying diagnosis. Birth defects can be isolated or can occur as part of a set of...

Metastasis is an complex process by which tumor cells travel through various parts of body where they begin to grow and form new tumors that replace the normal tissue. Metastasis unequivocally marks a tumor as malignant because benign neoplasms do not metastasize. The invasiveness of cancers permits them to penetrate into blood vessels, lymphatics and body cavities providing the opportunity for spread. Metastasis is of great importance to the clinical management of cancer since the majority of cancer mortality is associated with disseminated disease rather than the primary tumor. This book...