The Essentials of Clinical Oncology

This book is meant to give hope and show the positive side of cancer therapy. It is meant to instill confidence in the physicians and health workers that slowly but surely. This book is meant to create an awareness in medical students, physicians and health workers who may pass on this optimistic information to the Indian millions through their personal approach, by word of mouth and electronic media. The task of writing a book on this subject is a strenuous one. Consider merely the vast amount of material available as research papers being published from different centers in the world. This book is divided into three sections with 56 chapters. The first one deals with general discussion about cancer like its etiology, molecular basis of cancer, investigations, the cancer metastases, enigma of unknown primary, etc. The second section deals with system or organ specific cancer like that of the breast and the alimentary system, tumors of male and female genital tracts, leukemia, lymphoma, etc. The third and final section deals with the treatment of cancer such as radiation, chemotherapy and palliative care. Even though the book is on oncology, which includes both benign and malignant tumors, throughout the book, the authors have given more stress on the diagnosis and treatment of malignant neoplasms. Lastly a chapter has been included in which the care of the terminally ill patient is discussed. This chapter on the care of the terminally ill patients is to help those who have dedicated themselves to the service of these unfortunate men and women in our country. All the aspects of palliative care, the drugs used and the counseling for the terminally ill patients shall be discussed in this chapter.