I was looking at Mrs T – all 45 kilos of her – with somewhat puzzled thoughts. I had prescribed her capecitabine at very prudent doses, in view of her 91-year-old kidneys and physiology. She had reduced my treatment even further, “because it was making her tired.” As a result, she was taking a grand total of 500 mg of capecitabine a day. Yet, her metastatic, ER/PR-negative, Her2-positive breast cancer was undoubtedly responding. Her pain was improving and her chest mass was shrinking, as were her lung metastases... What was the secret of that response? Were Mrs T’s kidneys eli- nating even less drug than predicted by her creatinine clearance? Was her sarcopenia altering drug distribution? Was she absorbing more drug than average? Or was her tumor exquisitely sensitive to fluoropyrimidines? “Physicians,” said Voltaire, “pour drugs they know little for diseases they know even less into patients they know no- ing about.” Medicine has made tremendous progress since the eighteenth century. Yet, there are fields where quite a lot remains to be learned. In developed countries, 25% of breast cancers occur in patients aged 75 years and older. Yet, these patients represent only 4% of the population of traditional clinical trials. That ought to let us wonder how relevant data acquired in patients in their 60s are to a nonagenarian. Fortunately, geriatric oncologists have been stepping up to the task and have gen- ated data to help us to treat such patients.

This book offers evidence-based clinical knowledge of older patients suffering from breast cancer. It details the full armament of therapeutic options as well as the epidemiology of the disease and specific psychosocial considerations for elderly patients.

The results of randomized trials evaluating the use of early or adjuvant systemic treatment for patients with resectable breast cancer provide an eloquent rebuttal to those who would argue that we have made no progress in the treatment of cancer. Many of the tumors that we have been most successful in curing with chemotherapy and other newer forms of treatment are relatively uncommon. In contrast, breast cancer continues to be the single most common malignancy among women in the western world, is increasingly a cause of death throughout Asia and Third-World countries, and remains one of the most substantial causes of cancer mortality world wide. The use of mammography as a means of early detection has been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality by 25-35% among those popu lations in which it is utilized. The use of adjuvant systemic treatment in appropriate patients provides a similar (and additional) reduction in breast cancer mortality. Few subjects have been so systematically studied in the history of medicine, and it seems fair to conclude that the value to adjuvant systemic therapy in prolonging the lives of women with breast cancer is more firmly supported by empirical evidence than even the more conventional or primary treatments using various combinations ofsurgery and radiotherapy.

This book presents comprehensive assessment and up-to-date discussion of the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of cancer in the elderly, highlighting the growing demands of the disease, its biology, individual susceptibility, the impact of state-of-the-art and emerging therapies on reducing morbidity, and decision making processes. Describ

This contributed book covers all aspects concerning the clinical scenario of breast cancer in young women, providing physicians with the latest information on the topic. Young women are a special subset of patients whose care requires dedicated expertise. The book, written and edited by internationally recognized experts who have been directly involved in the international consensus guidelines for breast cancer in young women, pays particular attention to how the disease and its planned treatment can be effectively communicated to young patients. Highly informative and carefully structured, it provides both theoretical and practice-oriented insight for practitioners and professionals involved in the different phases of treatment, from diagnosis to intervention, to follow-up – without neglecting the important role played by prevention.

Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine, Ninth Edition, offers a balanced view of the most current knowledge of cancer science and clinical oncology practice. This all-new edition is the consummate reference source for medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, internists, surgical oncologists, and others who treat cancer patients. A translational perspective throughout, integrating cancer biology with cancer management providing an in depth understanding of the disease An emphasis on multidisciplinary, research-driven patient care to improve outcomes and optimal use of all appropriate therapies Cutting-edge coverage of personalized cancer care, including molecular diagnostics and therapeutics Concise, readable, clinically relevant text with algorithms, guidelines and insight into the use of both conventional and novel drugs Includes free access to the Wiley Digital Edition providing search across the book, the full reference list with web links, illustrations and photographs, and post-publication updates

Breast cancer is a disease requiring multidisciplinary management including surgery, medical and radiation oncology, radiology, pathology, nuclear medicine, genetic counseling, and psychological support. Each member of the team needs to be updated continuously on breast cancer treatment because of its rapidly changing nature. From the diagnostic procedures to operations and even in metastatic stages of breast cancer, surgeons play an essential part in multidisciplinary teams. After standard surgical options, oncoplastic breast surgery is rapidly becoming one of the most important surgical topics that should be learned by attending surgeons. The idea of writing this book stemmed from a collaboration between the European Academy of Senology (EAoS), European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Euro-Asian Society of Mastology (ESOMA), and SENATURK (Turkish Academy of Senology), which have been working together to promote better training in breast care for professionals. The book offers invaluable support for breast surgeons by covering critical and essential information in senology. It will also greatly benefit the other members of multidisciplinary teams, surgery residents, gynecologists, and plastic and reconstructive surgeons.