Main description:

Chemotherapy has made a dramatic difference to improved survival in patients with cancer. However, not all patients respond and some experience serious side effects.

"Pharmacogenetics: Making cancer treatment safer and more effective" is an up to date summary of the exciting new field of how genetic testing can tailor more effective prescription in oncology.

It is targeted at oncologists and professionals involved in the treatment of patients with cancer. It provides a core background in genetics and pharmacological principles before providing chapters from acknowledged experts in the field on genetic tests in specific cancer types, including breast, bowel and lung cancer. Clinical cases are used to illustrate the practical application of this knowledge.

Chapters on ethics, health economics and the industry aspects of pharmacogenetics set out the challenges and opportunities afforded by this new science.

Contents:

List of Contributing Authors

Acknowledgments

Introduction
William G. Newman

Chapter 1: Principles of cancer treatment
William G. Newman & Fiona H. Blackhall

Chapter 2: Clinical pharmacology and anticancer drugs
Cristina Rodriguez-Antona & Julia Kirchheiner

Chapter 3: Pharmacogenetics
William G. Newman

Chapter 4: Pharmacogenetics in the management of breast cancer
Sacha J. Howell

Chapter 5: Pharmacogenetics in colorectal cancer
Roberta Ferraldeschi

Chapter 6: Pharmacogenetics in the management of lung cancer
Fiona Blackhall

Chapter 7: Pharmacogenetics and cancer treatment in children
P. Kellie Turner & Gareth J. Veal
Chapter 8: Pharmacogenetics in palliative care
Andrew A. Somogyi

Chapter 9: Genetic predictors of normal tissue response to radiotherapy
Catharine M.L. West, Gillian C. Barnett, Alison M. Dunning, Rebecca M. Elliott, Neil G. Burnet

Chapter 10: Cancer pharmacogenetics in industry
Mireille Cantarini

Chapter 11: Ethical issues in pharmacogenetics
Tara Clancy

Chapter 12: Economics of cancer pharmacogenetics
Katherine Payne

Chapter 13: Future directions in cancer pharmacogenetics
William G. Newman

Glossary
Subject Index