Preface xi
Dedication xiii
Acknowledgements xiv
Basic science, terminology and abbreviations xvii
1. What is cancer? 1
2. Natural history: the life of a cancer 9
3. Pathology: defining a neoplasm 32
4. Epidemiology: identifying causes for human cancers 40
5. Oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes and viruses 62
6. Chemical and radiation carcinogenesis 88
7. Mutations, DNA repair and genetic instability 112
8. Familial cancers 128
9. Growth: a balance of cell proliferation, death and differentiation 139
10. Responding to the environment: growth regulation and signal
transduction 168
11. Invasion and metastasis 209
12. Principles of cancer treatment 230
13. Approaches to cancer prevention 263
Appendix: Features of selected cancers 270
Glossary 283
Index 288