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This is the first of three volumes in the'Ion Channels & Transporters in Tumor Biology'collection, which discusses the function of ion transport proteins in cellular and systemic homeostasis. The authors highlight the role of the so-called transportome, which is defined by the entirety of ion transporters and ion channels. Thereby, readers will get a better understanding of the impact dysregulated ion transport has on the whole spectrum of cancer types. Cancers display deficiencies in several, sometimes interdependent members of the transportome.Clinicians will be interested in the fact that controlled expression of ion transport proteins dramatically impacts the life span of cancer patients, as shown in recent studies. These observations offer a promising outlook for biomedical scientists, as members of the transportome could be the tumor markers of tomorrow - both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.As part of a three-volume collection, this book will fascinate members of the active research community, as well as clinicians from the cancer field.

This third and final volume in the'Ion Transport in Tumor Biology'collection presents novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in cancer based on the exploitation of ion transport proteins. The authors critically examine several transportome members, particularly Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Cl- channels, as well as organic solute carriers regarding their suitability as therapeutic targets. Synergistic effects resulting from the combined use of classical cytostatics with ion transport-inhibiting drugs are pointed out, and the capability of bispecific antibodies to function as anticancer drugs is discussed. As readers will also learn, the use of ion channel inhibitors could improve the outcome of radiotherapy because the development of radio-resistance during radiotherapeutic treatment often correlates with increases in the expression levels and conductance of ion channels. The translational topics of this volume form a bridge between biochemical research and therapeutic application. As part of a three-volume collection, this book will fascinate members of the active research community, as well as clinicians in the cancer field.

Flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites with a basic polyphenolic skeleton and their anticancer properties have greatly attracted the interest of scientists already for several years. This structurally diverse group of phytochemicals can be found abundantly in various edible plant products, such as fruits and vegetables, tea and cocoa, nuts, spices, grains and medicinal herbs. In the past decades, numerous experimental studies have shown antiproliferative, proapoptotic, antiinflammatory, antiangiogenic, antiinvasive and antimetastatic activities of these compounds in different cancerous systems. Because of close contacts and interactions of ingested food components with the epithelial lining of organ sites of the upper gastrointestinal tract, flavonoids can directly affect the development and progression of malignant neoplasms in the oral cavity, esophagus and stomach. This book gives a comprehensive and contemporary survey about the different anticancer actions of various natural and semisynthetic flavonoids in experimental models of oral, pharyngeal, esophageal and gastric cancers, involving the data obtained from studies of both cell lines as well as laboratorial animals. Also, the effects of flavonoids on the therapeutic responses of conventional cancer treatment modalities, i.e., different chemotherapeutic drugs and irradiation, are presented and analyzed. Moreover, the current epidemiological knowledge about the role of dietary intake of flavonoids on the risk of carcinogenesis in the upper digestive tract in populations with different dietary and lifestyle habits is described. By virtue of the high topicality of the subject but also the thoroughness of its discussion, this book could be interesting and attractive to basic scientists working in the field of plant chemicals, molecular cancer research or design and development of novel anticancer drugs; synthetic chemists in different pharmaceutical companies; health workers and nutritional counselors; medical doctors working with cancer patients; people suffering from any type of upper digestive tract tumors and their family members; and anyone who is interested in the natural tools for the fight against malignant neoplasms and whose purpose is to consciously prevent carcinogenesis within the upper gastrointestinal tract. (Nova Biomedical)