This issue of Medical Clinics covers the latest updates in immunotherapeutics by the world-leading experts on the topic. Immunotherapuetic treatments are discussed in infectious diseases, rheumatologic and neurologic disorders, renal diseases, diabetes and more. Emerging immunotherapies are also covered in depth.

Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death globally, particularly among children and young adults. The spread of new pathogens and the threat of antimicrobial resistance pose particular challenges in combating these diseases. Major Infectious Diseases identifies feasible, cost-effective packages of interventions and strategies across delivery platforms to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, malaria, adult febrile illness, viral hepatitis, and neglected tropical diseases. The volume emphasizes the need to effectively address emerging antimicrobial resistance, strengthen health systems, and increase access to care. The attainable goals are to reduce incidence, develop innovative approaches, and optimize existing tools in resource-constrained settings.

The first book focusing specifically on frequent and frequently disabling side effects involving the skin, hair and nails in cancer patients According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately thirty million people living with a diagnosis of cancer – the majority of whom will receive surgery, systemic therapy, and/or radiation, and who will suffer from dermatologic adverse events. Dermatologists and oncologists are only beginning to grapple with these events, which pose serious quality-of-life issues with so many patients, and will become more prevalent as survival rates improve, thanks in part to new cancer treatments and drug regimens. Concentrating on a topic that has only been briefly touched upon by other texts, this book offers a focused perspective on the clinical presentation, underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms, and management of skin, hair, and nail conditions for oncologists, dermatologists, and allied practitioners. Dermatologic Principles and Practice in Oncology: Conditions of the Skin, Hair, and Nails in Cancer Patients: • Covers in detail the dermatologic adverse events of oncologic therapies, clinical presentations, and treatment recommendations • Enables dermatologists and other practitioners to significantly improve the care of patients with cancer • Addresses the dermatologic adverse events of cancer therapies used globally, of which a large number are found in developing countries • Emphasizes prophylactic measures – based on treatments used and type of cancer – to prevent the appearance of adverse events • Provides built-in discussions on patient education for practical counseling during therapies • Offers rapid-reference sections on topical dermatology drugs The first book to present dermatologic conditions in cancer patients and survivors in a uniform and in-depth manner, Dermatologic Principles and Practice in Oncology is ideal for oncologists, oncology nurses, and dermatologists who wish to take better care of those with adverse skin, hair, and nail conditions.

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer's handbook,SITC’s Guide to Managing Immunotherapy Toxicity, is a practical reference to managing side effects associated with FDA-approved cancer immunotherapy drugs. Separated into two parts, Part I contains chapter-based overviews of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the clinic, starting with anti-CTLA4 agents, anti-PD1/PD-L1 agents, and approved immunotherapeutic combinations. These chapters cover relevant mechanisms of action, indications, and toxicities seen while combating early, advanced, and metastatic stages in cancer patients. Part II is structured by common and uncommon toxicities that affect major organ sites throughout the body. It begins with a general summary of principles and management options followed by chapters focusing on specific toxicities such as rash and mucosal irritation, muscle and joint toxicity, diarrhea and colitis, pneumonitis, endocrine toxicities, neurological toxicities, cardiac toxicity, renal toxicity, hematologic toxicity, and ocular toxicities. Each chapter provides guidance on how to assess and treat the toxicity and how to support the patient through acute and chronic effects with detailed summary tables for quick reference. Part II concludes with chapters covering management of special patient populations, including patients with autoimmune disease and geriatric patients, treatment and management of fatigue, and a final chapter dedicated to cost effectiveness and the toll of financial toxicity on patients and caregivers. With chapters written by world-recognized leaders in the immuno-oncology field, this text provides thorough coverage of the toxicity and management of adverse effects for immune checkpoint inhibitors. It is an indispensable resource for clinical oncologists, emergency physicians, hospitalists and other medical practitioners in both the hospital and community clinic settings, especially as the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors becomes a fixture in oncology care. Key Features: Outlines strategies for treating high-risk patients facing an acute or chronic side effect to immunotherapy Provides numerous tables that condense and highlight pertinent information for quick reference Describes the various clinical presentations and toxic reactions caused by immunotherapy Purchase includes access to the eBook for use on most mobile devices or computer

In this book we provide insights into liver – cancer and immunology. Experts in the field provide an overview over fundamental immunological questions in liver cancer and tumorimmunology, which form the base for immune based approaches in HCC, which gain increasing interest in the community due to first promising results obtained in early clinical trials. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer related death in the United States. Treatment options are limited. Viral hepatitis is one of the major risk factors for HCC, which represents a typical “inflammation-induced” cancer. Immune-based treatment approaches have revolutionized oncology in recent years. Various treatment strategies have received FDA approval including dendritic cell vaccination, for prostate cancer as well as immune checkpoint inhibition targeting the CTLA4 or the PD1/PDL1 axis in melanoma, lung, and kidney cancer. Additionally, cell based therapies (adoptive T cell therapy, CAR T cells and TCR transduced T cells) have demonstrated significant efficacy in patients with B cell malignancies and melanoma. Immune checkpoint inhibitors in particular have generated enormous excitement across the entire field of oncology, providing a significant benefit to a minority of patients.

Healthcare decision makers in search of reliable information that compares health interventions increasingly turn to systematic reviews for the best summary of the evidence. Systematic reviews identify, select, assess, and synthesize the findings of similar but separate studies, and can help clarify what is known and not known about the potential benefits and harms of drugs, devices, and other healthcare services. Systematic reviews can be helpful for clinicians who want to integrate research findings into their daily practices, for patients to make well-informed choices about their own care, for professional medical societies and other organizations that develop clinical practice guidelines. Too often systematic reviews are of uncertain or poor quality. There are no universally accepted standards for developing systematic reviews leading to variability in how conflicts of interest and biases are handled, how evidence is appraised, and the overall scientific rigor of the process. In Finding What Works in Health Care the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 21 standards for developing high-quality systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research. The standards address the entire systematic review process from the initial steps of formulating the topic and building the review team to producing a detailed final report that synthesizes what the evidence shows and where knowledge gaps remain. Finding What Works in Health Care also proposes a framework for improving the quality of the science underpinning systematic reviews. This book will serve as a vital resource for both sponsors and producers of systematic reviews of comparative effectiveness research.