Principles of Molecular Diagnostics and Personalized Cancer Medicine

The role of molecular genetics in the treatment of malignancy continues to grow at an astonishing rate. Today’s subspecialized multidisciplinary approach to oncology has incorporated advances in targeted molecular therapy, prognosis, risk assessment, and prevention—all based at least in part on molecular diagnostics and imaging. Inside this cutting-edge resource, readers will explore broad, comprehensive perspectives on the current trends in molecular diagnosis of cancer and personalized cancer medicine. Authoritative discussions share insights from noted experts in cancer research, clinical trials, molecular diagnostics, personalized therapy, bioinformatics, and federal regulations. From the basic mechanisms of carcinogenesis to the most advanced molecular screening, staging, and treatment technologies, readers will discover clear and straightforward discussions directly relevant to patient diagnosis and care.

Improve your understanding of…

• The basic mechanisms of carcinogenesis—including material on cell proliferation, signal transduction pathways, cancer stem cells, and the interaction between genetics and environmental factors.
• The most current molecular techniques—including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, single nucleotide polymorphisms, cancer cytogenomics and epigenetics, whole-genome assessments, and next- generation sequencing.

• Molecular tests—including molecular screening, minimal residual disease detection, circulating tumor cell tests, molecular tumor staging, and molecular cancer prognosis assessment.

• Imaging and screening technologies—including molecular imaging, genetic tests, biostatistics, and bioinformatics.

• The molecular basis of therapy—including critical molecules as special treatment targets, particularly genes/DNA, RNA, micro RNAs, proteins/antibodies, and nanoparticles.

• Molecular diagnostics – including updated molecular diagnostic approaches to common malignancies and role of pathology in targeted cancer management.

• Targeted treatment – including personalized medicine and targeted therapy for commonly occurring malignancies— plus insights on new approaches to targeted drug discovery and the future of molecular oncology!