Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Understanding Cancer is a brand-new undergraduate textbook that uses simple language and well-chosen examples to explain the biological processes that underlie cancer and inform our diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Assuming no prior study of biology or chemistry, the book has been carefully designed to provide the relevant information for the many students who require an accessible introduction to the subject, including those undertaking a one-semester course while majoring in a discipline outside the biological sciences.
Born of the author's personal experiences in life, the classroom, and in the laboratory as a professor of cell biology, the book presents stories of people touched by cancer, while maintaining a scientific perspective on what is known and still unknown about cancer's onset and development, its prognosis, and current methods of treatment.
Key Features:
A writing style that is simple and engaging but retains scientific precision
Key concepts listed at the end of each chapter
Beautiful, full-color presentation, extensive illustration and supplementary video material
Plentiful use of sidebars to provide additional material on a broad range of subjects including cell architecture, protein function, DNA replication and repair, oncogenic viruses, and the adaptive immune system for students wishing to explore topics in greater depth and to encourage further study
Describes the methods used in diagnosis - X-ray, tomography, MRI, and PET - and the approaches to treatment - surgery, chemotherapy, and activation of immune checkpoints - making clear the advances and limitations of medical technology
Offers personal narratives of people affected by cancer, following them through the stages of their diagnosis and treatment to show the human faces of cancer
Side questions in the margins throughout the book encourage students to think about what they are learning along the way, with answers provided at the end of the book while "Thought questions" inspire a deeper level of analysis and concept synthesis, with answers provided only to instructors
Concludes with a glossary of important terms, particularly helpful for those new to scientific study About the Author:
J. Richard McIntosh is Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He taught freshman biology for 20 years, cancer biology for 9, and graduate cell biology for 45. His research has focused on mitosis, earning him an American Cancer Society Research Professorship and election to the National Academy of Sciences, USA.
Synopsis
Understanding Cancer is a brand new undergraduate textbook for students without prior training in biology that integrates an introduction to cancer medicine with descriptions of the biological processes that go wrong to cause cancer's onset and progression. It also highlights the human side of cancer with stories of patients and loved ones touched by the disease, dealing with diagnosis, treatment, and the prospect of death as well as the broader societal aspects of cancer and its prevention. Key discoveries that have improved our understanding of cancer are presented in sidebars. In spite of this diversity, the book maintains precision and simplicity in describing what is and is not known about cancer, describing the strengths and limitations of current treatments