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This book provides a state-of-the-art review of the biology, treatment, and other critical aspects of neuroblastoma, reflecting the dramatic advances that have been achieved in understanding and management. Topics are arranged according to the book's dominant themes of the “seed” (tumor genomics, epigenetics, metabolism, and stem cells) and the “soil” (tumor microenvironment, adaptive and innate immunity, and exosomes) and how both of these influences can serve as rich targets for intervention, whether by targeted molecular therapy or immunotherapy. Therapeutic strategies that are currently in use or under consideration for the future are discussed in detail, with the focus on precision medicine. Further individual chapters are devoted to the biology and genetics of relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma and emerging methods of evaluating tumor burden. Finally, in keeping with the, albeit modest, increase in cure rates in high-risk disease, immune and cellular therapies are reviewed. This coverage of what is becoming a not-so-enigmatic tumor will appeal to a broad readership including both experimental oncologists and clinicians who care for patients with neuroblastoma.

This atlas is designed to be a user-friendly bench-side reference for pathology trainees and general pathologists in handling and interpreting specimens of hepatocellular carcinoma. It provides over 550 high-quality gross and microscopic photos focusing on hepatocellular carcinoma and its mimickers, and demonstrating a full range of various histological variants of hepatocellular carcinoma. Introductory text in each chapter summarises salient clinical associations, pathological features, and molecular alterations of different variants of hepatocellular carcinoma. Differentiation between hepatocellular carcinoma and its mimickers is illustrated through various case studies.The authors are nationally and internationally recognized hepatopathologists in the Asian-Pacific regions (Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore), in which the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is high.The authors are nationally and internationally recognized hepatopathologists in the Asian-Pacific regions (Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore), in which the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is high.The authors are nationally and internationally recognized hepatopathologists in the Asian-Pacific regions (Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore), in which the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is high.The authors are nationally and internationally recognized hepatopathologists in the Asian-Pacific regions (Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore), in which the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is high.The authors are nationally and internationally recognized hepatopathologists in the Asian-Pacific regions (Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore), in which the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is high.The authors are nationally and internationally recognized hepatopathologists in the Asian-Pacific regions (Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore), in which the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is high.The authors are nationally and internationally recognized hepatopathologists in the Asian-Pacific regions (Hong Kong, Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore), in which the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is high.

Revealing essential roles of the tumor microenvironment in cancer progression, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research in the field. A variety of topics are covered, including metabolism in the tumor microenvironment, stellate cells and endothelial progenitors in the tumor microenvironment, as well as the effects of HIV, viral hepatitis, and inflammation in the tumor microenvironment, and more. Taken alongside its companion volumes, Tumor Microenvironment: State of the Science updates us on what we know about various aspects of the tumor microenvironment, as well as future directions. This book is essential reading for advanced cell biology and cancer biology students as well as researchers seeking an update on research in the tumor microenvironment.

This book addresses neuroblastoma, a type of embryonic tumor derived from neural crest cells and one of the most frequent extra-cranial solid tumors in children. However, the term also describes a heterogeneous group of tumors, the prognosis of which can differ greatly according to age, stage and biology. Some forms undergo spontaneous regression, and some are cured by surgery alone or after chemo-reduction, while others exhibit extremely aggressive behavior. Their successful treatment is one of the best examples of tailored medicine, which involves close collaboration between pediatric surgeons, pediatric oncologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine specialists, biologists, oncogeneticists and radiotherapists. The book pursues a unique approach, as it combines most essential insights from all of these fields, together with key information regarding epidemiology, physiopathology and palliative care. The respective chapters were written by the leading international experts on neuroblastoma, and present the latest advances in terms of research, surgical approaches and medical treatments. The book offers an invaluable resource to all pediatric surgeons, pediatricians, oncologists, students, researchers and all others involved in neuroblastoma management who want to benefit from their colleagues'expertise.

Over the past decade a complex role for DNA damage response (DDR) in tumorigenesis has emerged. A proficient DDR has been shown to be a primary cause for cellular resistance to the very many DNA damaging drugs, and IR, that are widely used as standard-of-care across multiple cancer types. It has also been shown that defects in this network, predominantly within the ATM mediated signaling pathway, are commonly observed in cancers and may be a primary event during tumorigenesis. Such defects may promote a genomically unstable environment, facilitating the persistence of mutations, any of which may provide a growth or survival advantage to the developing tumor. In addition, these somatic defects provide opportunities to exploit a reliance on remaining repair pathways for survival, a process which has been termed synthetic lethality. As a result of all these observations there has been a great interest in targeting the DDR to provide anti-cancer agents thatmay have benefit as monotherapy in cancers with high background DNA damage levels or as a means to increase the efficacy of DNA damaging drugs and IR. In this book we will review a series of important topics that are of great interest to a broad range of academic, industrial and clinical researchers, including the basic science of the DDR, its role in tumorigenesis and in dictating response to DNA damaging drugs and IR. Additionally, we will focus on the several proteins that have been targeted in attempts to provide drug candidates, each of which appear to have quite distinct profiles and could represent very different opportunities to provide patient benefit.

This book will focus on DNA and histone methylation in epigenetics and describe how it is involved in the molecular mechanisms responsible for the development of cancer. Chapters will summarize the current knowledge of the molecular basis of DNA and histone methylation and explain how it is involved in cancer, describe the features of DNA and histone methylation associated with particular types of cancer, diagnostic/therapeutic applications, and future directions of DNA and histone methylation as cancer targets.

This book provides readers with an overview of the frequent occurrence of asymmetric cell division. Employing a broad range of examples, it highlights how this mode of cell division constitutes the basis of multicellular organism development and how its misregulation can lead to cancer.To underline such developmental correlations, readers will for example gain insights into stem cell fate and tumor growth. In turn, subsequent chapters include descriptions of asymmetric cell division from unicellular organisms to humans in both physiological and pathological conditions. The book also illustrates the importance of this process for evolution and our need to understand the background mechanisms, offering a valuable guide not only for students in the field of developmental biology but also for experienced researchers from neighboring fields.

This book discusses properties of apoptosis and other cell death modalities in cancer pathogenesis and treatment. Its nine chapters discuss modulation of anti-tumor inflammatory and immune responses, effects on the tumor microenvironment, to strategies for improving pro-apoptotic therapies, mechanisms and implications for disease pathogenesis, axl and mer receptor tyrosine kinases, immunogenic apoptotic cell death and anti-cancer immunity and cancer cell death-inducing radiotherapy. This book places the onco-biology of apoptosis in clear and objective perspective through an expertly synthesized series of reviews.Apoptosis in Cancer Pathogenesis and Anti-cancer Therapy is a deft and thorough exploration of cutting-edge research in apoptosis and anti-cancer mechanisms from basic biology to oncology. It highlights a rapidly growing field within cancer research and is essential reading for oncologists, biochemists and advanced graduate students alike.

This book is a comprehensive, in-depth, and up-to-date resource on eye pathology that will be of great practical value for ophthalmic and general pathologists and ophthalmologists. Congenital abnormalities, inflammatory conditions, infections, injuries, degenerative diseases, and tumors are all covered with the aid of more than 700 images. In the case of tumors, the wide variety of neoplasms that occur in the eyelid, conjunctiva, retina, uveal tract, lacrimal gland and sac, orbit, and optic nerve are comprehensively reviewed, and the most recent knowledge on the relation between genetics and prognosis is presented. Entries on specific diseases are organized in a standard way, with information on etiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathological characteristics, differential diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. The authors are all recognized experts and members of the European and American ophthalmic pathology societies.​

This text highlights the endogenous regenerative potential of the central nervous system in neonates and juveniles and discusses possible ways it might be manipulated for medical purposes. The first section provides a descriptive summary of the salient steps of human brain development with a discussion of comparisons with other mammalian brains. It also provides a historical perspective on our understanding of ongoing brain development throughout the lifespan and serve to introduce the concept of brain plasticity following injury. The second part is devoted to the endogenous reparative potential of the brain, including its limitations, and articles focusing on defined pathologies (e.g. anoxia/hypoxia, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury and stress) in animal models and in humans pinpoint eventual ways these pathologies might be manipulated. The third and final focuses on the'dark side'of stem cells for brain repair or of the manipulation of spontaneous adaptive events after injury (e.g. genomic instability, sensitization to cancerous transformation and defective neural networks).

Cilia are tiny microtubule-based organelles projecting from the plasma membrane of practically all cells in the body. In the past 10 years a flurry of research has indicated a crucial role of this long-neglected organelle in the development and function of the central nervous system. A common theme of these studies is the critical dependency of signal transduction of the Sonic hedgehog, and more recently, Wnt signaling pathways upon cilia to regulate fate decisions and morphogenesis. Both primary and motile cilia also play crucial roles in the function of the nervous system, including the primary processing of sensory information, the control of body mass, and higher functions such as behavior and cognition, serving as'antennae'for neurons to sense and process their environment. In this book we describe the structure and function of cilia and the various tissues throughout the brain and spinal cord that are dependent upon cilia for their proper development and function.

Timing, racing, combating, struggling and targeting are some actions through which cellular fate could be reflected and evaluated. Interaction between cell territory and environment occur during pre-embryonic, fetal development, and post-natal periods. What the researchers observe as the outcome of telomeres behavior is only the peak of an ice mountain within a stormy ocean. Cellular life depends on programmed behavior of telomeres, capable to surprise the cells. Telomeres provide an introduction to the history of our cells which govern the quality of life and status of health. Telomeres as the cooperative territory are capable of stabilizing the chromosomal territory. The status of telomeres reflects the key information, announcing the real age of individuals, and may be a valuable marker for prognosis and predicting cancer. Telomere territory is characterized with a multi-disciplinary manner. Therefore, this book is aimed to offer a wide range of chapters, hoping to be useful for diverse audiences, including hematologists-oncologists, radiotherapists, surgeons, cancer researchers, and all the sectors who affect the macro- and micro- environmental domains. Finally, telomeres are sensitive, cooperative, and trustable targets. It is worth to state that ‘telomeres are messengers of NATURE', let's to know them as they are.

Organ transplantation has been the most important therapeutic advance in the last third of the 20th century. Its development has revolutionized medicine, as demonstrated by the fact that a large number of researchers in this field have been awarded Nobel Prizes. In the beginning of this century, we are witnessing with great expectations the emergence of a new field of medicine related to the arrival of a new player on the scene: “stem cells” and their potential use in regenerative medicine. This volume aims to cover important aspects of the various facets of organ transplantation and regenerative medicine, with leading specialists in these fields setting out their vision. We try to rigorously explain current and novel scientific research in these fields—areas which arouse great interest from society in general, due to their potential use in modern medicine for the treatment of a great number of diseases.

1 Introduction Christian Schiepers went major revisions. A few were updated and had CONTENTS only minor revisions (Chaps. 4, 7 and 15,) and two 1. 1 Perspective 1 were left unchanged and re-printed from the first 1. 2 Objectives 2 edition. Our selection is aimed at elucidating key 1. 3 Clinical Overview 2 processes in cellular mechanisms of the human body, 1. 4 Basics of Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine 4 under normal conditions as well as in disease. 1. 5 Future Perspective 4 In the present revised volume of Diagnostic Nuclear 1. 1 Medicine, the advancements in the field of nuclear Perspective medicine (NM) are presented with an emphasis on progress in the beginning of this millennium. The NM started as a field where radioactive products name ‘molecular imaging'is used more frequently were put to use for the benefit of mankind, e. g. t- for diagnostic NM imaging, but is not commonplace. roid scintigraphy and therapy. The performed stud- We will use the traditional term NM. The various ies in the field have fluctuated tremendously since contributions in this imaging field such as new trac- those early years. Flow imaging of the brain was a ers and equipment, modifications of existing tests, frequent procedure in the NM clinic until CT was diagnostic algorithms, and general applications for introduced. Later on, sophisticated triggering te- whole body imaging are discussed.