BOOK REVIEW

Comprehensive Textbook of Genitourinary Oncology, 4th Edition (2011)

Peter T. Scardino, MD, W. M Linehan, MD, Michael J. Zelefsky, MD, Nicholas J. Vogelzang, MD,

Brian I. Rini, MD, Bernard H. Bochner, MD, Joel Sheinfeld, MD

ISBN: 9781608313525, 973 pages
Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Rating: ★★★ (three stars out of five)

Description

This is the 4th edition of the Comprehensive Textbook of Genitourinary Oncology. This text consists of six sections written by various experts in the fields of genitourinary oncology who are academic leaders and well published in various aspects of prostate, bladder and upper tract, testicular, kidney, penile, and adrenal malignancies. The chapters are independent units that provide a comprehensive review of the field with a focus on the most recent discoveries and controversies.

Purpose

The authors wish to present the experience of experts in the fields of genitourinary oncology with a focus on management of these malignancies. The text provides a valuable resource for the scientist or clinician interested in genitourinary oncology. The text provides a thorough overview of the different treatment approaches presenting both the advantages and disadvantages.

Audience

The targeted audience is urologic, radiation, and medical oncology, both new trainees and veteran clinicians. In addition, the expert opinions are an invaluable resource to scientist and engineers interested in understanding the clinically relevant unanswered questions in the field. The authors present a fair and impartial review of the current literature.

Features

The book is divided into six sections focused on various genitourinary malignancies. Each section follows a similar format with the first several chapters being devoted to epidemiology, genetics and molecular biology, the next several
chapters focus on diagnosis, staging, and prognosis, and the majority of the section revolves on the various treatment modalities for early, locally advanced and metastatic disease. The illustrations and charts supplement and enhance the text. There is equal attention given to both surgical and nonsurgical approaches. This is a strength of this work given the controversies surrounding treatment especially for prostate cancer.
An important limitation is that this work does not mention the less common types of prostate cancer, specifically neuroendocrine or basal cell. While uncommon, there has been an increase in the scientific understanding of these distinct histopathologic types. Further, there have been tremendous advances in the treatment of metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer and this section should be expanded in the future.

Assessment

The book is an excellent resource for the reader interested in an in-depth overview of genitourinary oncology. The individual chapters are well written and provide an excellent discussion of their respective topics. The authors are leading experts in their fields and it is a privilege to glean their insights and opinion. This work functions as a stand alone text which will provide either medical students, residents, or experienced physicians with a working understanding of genitourinary oncology.

Reviewer: Robert B. Den

Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia, PA, USA

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© The Canadian Journal of Urology™; 19(3); June 2012

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