EBookClubs

Read Books & Download eBooks Full Online

EBookClubs

Read Books & Download eBooks Full Online

Book The Effects of Changes in Energy Balance on Immune Regulation and Tumor Progression in the 4T1 2 Mammary Tumor Model

Download or read book The Effects of Changes in Energy Balance on Immune Regulation and Tumor Progression in the 4T1 2 Mammary Tumor Model written by William Turbitt and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One significant challenge in the field of breast cancer (BC) research is to determine how to reduce and/or eliminate the mortality associated with metastatic BC. Novel therapies, especially non-pharmacological, lifestyle-based interventions that prevent or slow metastatic disease with less severe side effects are greatly needed. Numerous lifestyle factors (including dietary components, body weight, and physical activity patterns) significantly impact BC risk and survival. Emerging population data suggests an inverse relation between physical activity and BC incidence, as well as an important role for exercise in the prevention of cancer recurrence and mortality. The observational nature of these studies limit the ability to determine biological mechanisms and the extent to which exercise, as opposed to changes in body weight, drive beneficial effects. Additionally, very little is known about the mechanisms contributing to the relation between physical activity and survival. Given the importance of metastases in the mortality of women with BC, understanding the role of exercise on metastatic burden may reveal important new targets for secondary and tertiary cancer prevention. The aim of study one was to control for weight and examine the effects of exercise, mild dietary restriction, or the combination of diet and exercise on the inflammation-immune axis and tumor progression in a preclinical metastatic BC model to determine the extent to which exercise or body weight contribute to cancer prevention. Dietary energy restriction-induced weight control (i.e., SED+ER mice) was effective at altering host splenic immunity and the expression of key genes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) related to immunosuppression and metastatic progression; however, this intervention failed to induce changes in primary tumor growth or spontaneous metastases. Moderate exercise in weight stable mice (EX+ER) resulted in a similar reduction in immunosuppressive and metastatic genes in the TME compared with the SED+ER mice; however, in addition, EX+ER mice had the greatest reduction in splenic immunosuppressive cells and plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). The effects of moderate exercise in weight stable mice culminated in a significant delay in primary tumor growth and spontaneous metastases, suggesting that exercise-induced alterations in metabolic drivers of tumorigenesis, not simply a change in body weight, underlie the protective effects in the dual intervention group. Interestingly the exercise-induced protective effect on the emergence of immunosuppressive factors and reduced tumor burden was lost when mice continued to gain weight over the course of the study, suggesting that weight gain-induced disturbances on hormonal, inflammatory, and/or immunological function can override the exercise-induced benefits. Collectively, study one provided a deeper understanding of the extent to which exercise, and changes in body weight, underlies cancer protection. Few researchers have examined the effect of energy balance interventions on the efficacy of immunotherapeutic strategies. Two subsequent studies were designed to investigate the response to emerging cancer therapeutics in mice randomized to an energy balance paradigm (i.e., sedentary, ad libitum, weight gain [WG] group vs. exercising, mild dietary restriction, weight maintenance [WM] group) to identify potential mechanisms and provide translational support. Study two aimed to determine if there were any additive effects of moderate exercise in weight stable mice and the therapeutic administration of a broad-based, allogeneic, whole tumor cell cancer vaccine (VAX). There was a significant effect of both WM and VAX alone on primary tumor growth; and an additive effect of WM+VAX on primary tumor growth, lung and heart spontaneous metastases, splenocyte count at sacrifice, the number of total splenic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and granulocytic subset of MDSCs, and plasma levels of IGF-1. Splenic interferon gamma (IFN) secretion in response to re-stimulation with tumor antigens was significantly elevated in response to VAX and WM; however, there was no additive effect of WM+VAX. These results suggested that our whole tumor cell cancer vaccine augmented the weight maintenance (via diet and exercise) effects on primary tumor growth and spontaneous metastasis; and suggested that vaccination may provide an immune stimulus to further promote the protective effects of moderate exercise alone in the metastatic 4T1.2 mammary tumor model.Study three aimed to determine if there were any additive effects of moderate exercise in weight stable mice and the dual therapeutic administration of a whole tumor cell cancer vaccine and programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) checkpoint blockade. We observed a cancer prevention effect of PD-1 checkpoint blockade in WG mice on primary tumor growth and spontaneous lung metastasis. However, moderate activity in weight stable mice, independent of PD-1 checkpoint blockade, was effective in reducing primary tumor growth and metastatic burden. The WM+PD-1 group displayed the lowest number of splenic MDSCs and granulocytic MDSCs and maintained its splenic lymphoid populations. Neither the number of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, the effector or activation status of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, nor functional outcomes were significantly different between groups. PD-1 checkpoint blockade in WG mice, moderate exercise in weight stable mice, and PD-1 checkpoint blockade in moderately exercising, weight stable mice showed comparable, albeit subtle differences, in tumor-immune crosstalk gene expression markers that drive the expansion of immunosuppressive cell types and impact metastatic progression. The lack of responsiveness to VAX+PD-1 checkpoint blockade in WM mice suggests that moderate exercise in weight stable mice may be enhancing antitumor immunity and/or reducing protumorigenic factors (i.e., similar mechanisms mediated by VAX+PD-1 checkpoint blockade). Results from the current studies provided insight into the extent to which exercise in weight stable mice underlie cancer protection. Also, results provided insight into potential mechanisms by which exercise can act via the inflammation-immune axis to attenuate the generation of a protumorigenic and immunosuppressive TME. These data demonstrated that preventing weight gain through diet and exercise may be an important recommendation to maintain prolonged antitumor effector responses and improve clinical outcomes. Results from the current studies provided insight into potential mechanisms by which physical activity exerts primary and secondary cancer prevention effects and provides a biological rationale for randomized clinical trials to investigate physical activity strategies to prevent metastatic progression in BC survivors and ultimately improve survival outcomes.

Book Inflammation and Cancer

    Book Details:
  • Author : Bharat B. Aggarwal
  • Publisher : Springer
  • Release : 2014-05-12
  • ISBN : 3034808372
  • Pages : 489 pages

Download or read book Inflammation and Cancer written by Bharat B. Aggarwal and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-05-12 with total page 489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume examines in detail the role of chronic inflammatory processes in the development of several types of cancer. Leading experts describe the latest results of molecular and cellular research on infection, cancer-related inflammation and tumorigenesis. Further, the clinical significance of these findings in preventing cancer progression and approaches to treating the diseases are discussed. Individual chapters cover cancer of the lung, colon, breast, brain, head and neck, pancreas, prostate, bladder, kidney, liver, cervix and skin as well as gastric cancer, sarcoma, lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma.

Book Exercise Oncology

    Book Details:
  • Author : Kathryn H. Schmitz
  • Publisher : Springer Nature
  • Release : 2020-05-04
  • ISBN : 3030420116
  • Pages : 438 pages

Download or read book Exercise Oncology written by Kathryn H. Schmitz and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-05-04 with total page 438 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This groundbreaking book presents a unique and practical approach to the evolving field of exercise oncology - the study of physical activity in the context of cancer prevention and control. Presenting the current state of the art, the book is sensibly divided into four thematic sections. Following an opening chapter presenting an overview and timeline of exercise oncology, the chapters comprising part I discuss primary cancer prevention, physical activity and survivorship, and the mechanisms by which these operate. Diagnosis and treatment considerations are discussed in part II, including prehabilitation, exercise during surgical recovery, infusion and radiation therapies, and treatment efficacy. Post-treatment and end-of-life care are covered in part III, including cardio-oncology, energetics and palliative care. Part IV presents behavioral, logistical and policy-making considerations, highlighting a multidisciplinary approach to exercise oncology as well as practical matters such as reimbursement and economics. Written and edited by experts in the field, Exercise Oncology will be a go-to practical resource for sports medicine clinicians, family and primary care physicians, oncologists, physical therapy and rehabilitation specialists, and all medical professionals who treat cancer patients.

Book The Resolution of Inflammation

Download or read book The Resolution of Inflammation written by Adriano Rossi and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-03-17 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides readers with an up-to-date and comprehensive view on the resolution of inflammation and on new developments in this area, including pro-resolution mediators, apoptosis, macrophage clearance of apoptotic cells, possible novel drug developments.

Book Molecular Analysis of Cancer

    Book Details:
  • Author : Jacqueline Boultwood
  • Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
  • Release : 2008-02-02
  • ISBN : 1592591353
  • Pages : 302 pages

Download or read book Molecular Analysis of Cancer written by Jacqueline Boultwood and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-02-02 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past 20 years, technological advances in molecular biology have proven invaluable to the understanding of the pathogenesis of human cancer. The application of molecular technology to the study of cancer has not only led to advances in tumor diagnosis, but has also provided markers for the assessment of prognosis and disease progression. The aim of Molecular Ana- sis of Cancer is to provide a comprehensive collection of the most up-to-date techniques for the detection of molecular changes in human cancer. Leading researchers in the field have contributed chapters detailing practical pro- dures for a wide range of state-of-the-art techniques. Molecular Analysis of Cancer includes chapters describing techniques for the identification of chromosomal abnormalities and comprising: fluor- cent in situ hybridization (FISH), spectral karyotyping (SKY), comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), and microsatellite analysis. FISH has a pro- nent role in the molecular analysis of cancer and can be used for the detection of numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities. The recently described SKY, in which all human metaphase chromosomes are visualized in specific colors, allows for the definition of all chromosomal rearrangements and marker chromosomes in a tumor cell. Protocols for the detection of chromosomal re- rangements by PCR and RT-PCR are described, as well as the technique of DNA fingerprinting, a powerful tool for studying somatic genetic alterations in tumorigenesis.

Book Advanced Healthcare Materials

Download or read book Advanced Healthcare Materials written by Ashutosh Tiwari and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-05-09 with total page 421 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary view of cutting-edge research on advanced materials for healthcare technology and applications Advanced healthcare materials are attracting strong interest in fundamental as well as applied medical science and technology. This book summarizes the current state of knowledge in the field of advanced materials for functional therapeutics, point-of-care diagnostics, translational materials, and up-and-coming bioengineering devices. Advanced Healthcare Materials highlights the key features that enable the design of stimuli-responsive smart nanoparticles, novel biomaterials, and nano/micro devices for either diagnosis or therapy, or both, called theranostics. It also presents the latest advancements in healthcare materials and medical technology. The senior researchers from global knowledge centers have written topics including: State-of-the-art of biomaterials for human health Micro- and nanoparticles and their application in biosensors The role of immunoassays Stimuli-responsive smart nanoparticles Diagnosis and treatment of cancer Advanced materials for biomedical application and drug delivery Nanoparticles for diagnosis and/or treatment of Alzheimers disease Hierarchical modelling of elastic behavior of human dental tissue Biodegradable porous hydrogels Hydrogels in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and wound care Modified natural zeolites Supramolecular hydrogels based on cyclodextrin poly(pseudo)rotaxane Polyhydroxyalkanoate-based biomaterials Biomimetic molecularly imprinted polymers

Book Adenosine Receptors

    Book Details:
  • Author : Gyorgy Hasko
  • Publisher : CRC Press
  • Release : 2006-07-20
  • ISBN : 1420005774
  • Pages : 377 pages

Download or read book Adenosine Receptors written by Gyorgy Hasko and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2006-07-20 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After a century of research, several lines of evidence now indicate that the ability of adenosine to directly control inflammatory cells has a major impact on the functions of the inflammatory and immune systems. Consequently, many promising therapeutic approaches are beginning to emerge that focus on the modulation of adenosine, including the deve

Book Cancer and Aging

    Book Details:
  • Author : M. Extermann
  • Publisher : Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers
  • Release : 2013-01-18
  • ISBN : 3318023078
  • Pages : 179 pages

Download or read book Cancer and Aging written by M. Extermann and published by Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers. This book was released on 2013-01-18 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cancer is clearly an age-related disease. Recent research in both aging and cancer has demonstrated the complex interaction between the two phenomena. This affects a wide spectrum of research and practice, anywhere from basic research to health care organization. Core examples of these close associations are addressed in this book. Starting with basic research, the first chapters cover cancer development, mTOR inhibition, senescent cells altering the tumor microenvironment, and immune senescence affecting cancer vaccine response. Taking into account the multidisciplinarity of geriatric oncology, several chapters focus on geriatric and oncologic aspects in patient assessment, treatment options, nursing and exercise programs. The book is rounded off by a discussion on the impact of the metabolic syndrome illustrating the interactions between comorbidity and cancer and a chapter on frailty.This book provides the reader with insights that will hopefully foster his or her reflection in their own research and practice to further the development of this most exciting field. Given the aging of the population worldwide and the high prevalence of cancer, it is essential reading not only for oncologists and geriatricians but for all health practitioners.

Book Angiogenesis Assays

    Book Details:
  • Author : Carolyn A. Staton
  • Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
  • Release : 2007-01-11
  • ISBN : 047002934X
  • Pages : 410 pages

Download or read book Angiogenesis Assays written by Carolyn A. Staton and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2007-01-11 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Angiogenesis, the development of new blood vessels from the existing vasculature, is essential for physiological growth and over 18,000 research articles have been published describing the role of angiogenesis in over 70 different diseases, including cancer, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. One of the most important technical challenges in such studies has been finding suitable methods for assessing the effects of regulators of eh angiogenic response. While increasing numbers of angiogenesis assays are being described both in vitro and in vivo, it is often still necessary to use a combination of assays to identify the cellular and molecular events in angiogenesis and the full range of effects of a given test protein. Although the endothelial cell - its migration, proliferation, differentiation and structural rearrangement - is central to the angiogenic process, it is not the only cell type involved. the supporting cells, the extracellular matrix and the circulating blood with its cellular and humoral components also contribute. In this book, experts in the use of a diverse range of assays outline key components of these and give a critical appraisal of their strengths and weaknesses. Examples include assays for the proliferation, migration and differentiation of endothelial cells in vitro, vessel outgrowth from organ cultures, assessment of endothelial and mural cell interactions, and such in vivo assays as the chick chorioallantoic membrane, zebrafish, corneal, chamber and tumour angiogenesis models. These are followed by a critical analysis of the biological end-points currently being used in clinical trials to assess the clinical efficacy of anti-angiogenic drugs, which leads into a discussion of the direction future studies should take. This valuable book is of interest to research scientists currently working on angiogenesis in both the academic community and in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Relevant disciplines include cell and molecular biology, oncology, cardiovascular research, biotechnology, pharmacology, pathology and physiology.

Book Pulmonary Metastasis

    Book Details:
  • Author : Leonard Weiss
  • Publisher : Macmillan Reference USA
  • Release : 1978
  • ISBN :
  • Pages : 362 pages

Download or read book Pulmonary Metastasis written by Leonard Weiss and published by Macmillan Reference USA. This book was released on 1978 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Book Colorectal Cancer

    Book Details:
  • Author : Valeria Barresi
  • Publisher :
  • Release : 2022
  • ISBN : 9783036529233
  • Pages : 284 pages

Download or read book Colorectal Cancer written by Valeria Barresi and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and the pathogenesis of this neoplasm is probably one of the most studied. The knowledge obtained over time has led to the development of screening and early diagnosis systems, allowing a significant reduction in the incidence of this neoplasm. However, what is currently known probably represents only the tip of the iceberg of the biology of this tumor. It was recently shown that the gut microbiota may contribute to colorectal cancerogenesis. In addition, several novel targeted therapies are now applied to patients with colorectal carcinoma. Nonetheless, several questions are still unanswered. Could the modulation of the gut microbiota modify the risk of tumor progression or the efficacy of therapies? Are there any predictive biomarkers of the risk of tumor progression or the efficacy of target therapies? Is metastatic colorectal cancer one or more diseases? This book collects a series of scientific articles reflecting part of the state of the art regarding colorectal cancer, seeking to answer these questions.

Book Metabolism in Cancer

    Book Details:
  • Author : Thorsten Cramer
  • Publisher : Springer
  • Release : 2016-08-24
  • ISBN : 3319421182
  • Pages : 272 pages

Download or read book Metabolism in Cancer written by Thorsten Cramer and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-08-24 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This textbook presents concise chapters written by internationally respected experts on various important aspects of cancer-associated metabolism, offering a comprehensive overview of the central features of this exciting research field. The discovery that tumor cells display characteristic alterations of metabolic pathways has significantly changed our understanding of cancer: while the first description of tumor-specific changes in cellular energetics was published more than 90 years ago, the causal significance of this observation for the pathogenesis of cancer was only discovered in the post-genome era. The first 10 years of the twenty-first century were characterized by rapid advances in our grasp of the functional role of cancer-specific metabolism as well as the underlying molecular pathways. Various unanticipated interrelations between metabolic alterations and cancer-driving pathways were identified and currently await translation into diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Yet the speed, quantity, and complexity of these new discoveries make it difficult for researchers to keep up to date with the latest developments, an issue this book helps to remedy.

Book Tumor Induced Immune Suppression

Download or read book Tumor Induced Immune Suppression written by Dmitry I. Gabrilovich and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2014-02-10 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tumor-Induced Immune Suppression - Prospects and Progress in Mechanisms and Therapeutic Reversal presents a comprehensive overview of large number of different mechanisms of immune dysfunction in cancer and therapeutic approaches to their correction. This includes the number of novel mechanisms that has never before been discussed in previous monographs. The last decades were characterized by substantial progress in the understanding of the role of the immune system in tumor progression. Researchers have learned how to manipulate the immune system to generate tumor specific immune response, which raises high expectations for immunotherapy to provide breakthroughs in cancer treatment. It is increasingly clear that tumor-induced abnormalities in the immune system not only hampers natural tumor immune surveillance, but also limits the effect of cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, it is critically important to understand the mechanisms of tumor-induced immune suppression to make any progress in the field and this monograph provides these important insights.

Book The Tumour Microenvironment

Download or read book The Tumour Microenvironment written by Jamie A. Goode and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2001-11-28 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ergebnisse von in vitro-Studien lassen vermuten, dass sich der pH-Wert in einem Tumor auf die Wirksamkeit von Chemo- oder Strahlentherapien auswirken kann. Wie aber sieht die Beziehung zwischen der Tumorentwicklung und dem pH-Wert aus? Können ein niedriger pH-Wert oder ein Sauerstoffmangel die Carcinogenese hemmen? Wo bieten sich therapeutische Ansätze? Anwort auf diese und andere Fragen finden Sie in diesem Band. In interdisziplinärer Weise wurden Beiträge aus der Grundlagenforschung und der klinischen Praxis zusammengetragen.

Book Bugs as Drugs

    Book Details:
  • Author : Robert A. Britton
  • Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
  • Release : 2020-07-02
  • ISBN : 1555819702
  • Pages : 514 pages

Download or read book Bugs as Drugs written by Robert A. Britton and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-07-02 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examining the enormous potential of microbiome manipulation to improve health Associations between the composition of the intestinal microbiome and many human diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and cancer, have been elegantly described in the past decade. Now, whole-genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and precision gene-editing techniques are being combined with centuries-old therapies, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, to translate current research into new diagnostics and therapeutics to treat complex diseases. Bugs as Drugs provides a much-needed overview of microbes in therapies and will serve as an excellent resource for scientists and clinicians as they carry out research and clinical studies on investigating the roles the microbiota plays in health and disease. In Bugs as Drugs, editors Robert A. Britton and Patrice D. Cani have assembled a fascinating collection of reviews that chart the history, current efforts, and future prospects of using microorganisms to fight disease and improve health. Sections cover traditional uses of probiotics, next-generation microbial therapeutics, controlling infectious diseases, and indirect strategies for manipulating the host microbiome. Topics presented include: How well-established probiotics support and improve host health by improving the composition of the intestinal microbiota of the host and by modulating the host immune response. The use of gene editing and recombinant DNA techniques to create tailored probiotics and to characterize next-generation beneficial microbes. For example, engineering that improves the anti-inflammatory profile of probiotics can reduce the number of colonic polyps formed, and lactobacilli can be transformed into targeted delivery systems carrying therapeutic proteins or bioengineered bacteriophage. The association of specific microbiota composition with colorectal cancer, liver diseases, osteoporosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The gut microbiota has been proposed to serve as an organ involved in regulation of inflammation, immune function, and energy homeostasis. Fecal microbiota transplantation as a promising treatment for numerous diseases beyond C. difficile infection. Practical considerations for using fecal microbiota transplantation are provided, while it is acknowledged that more high-quality evidence is needed to ascertain the importance of strain specificity in positive treatment outcomes. Because systems biology approaches and synthetic engineering of microbes are now high-throughput and cost-effective, a much wider range of therapeutic possibilities can be explored and vetted.

Book Breast Cancer Metastasis and Drug Resistance

Download or read book Breast Cancer Metastasis and Drug Resistance written by Aamir Ahmad and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2019-08-27 with total page 427 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Resistance to therapies, both targeted and systemic, and metastases to distant organs are the underlying causes of breast cancer-associated mortality. The second edition of Breast Cancer Metastasis and Drug Resistance brings together some of the leading experts to comprehensively understand breast cancer: the factors that make it lethal, and current research and clinical progress. This volume covers the following core topics: basic understanding of breast cancer (statistics, epidemiology, racial disparity and heterogeneity), metastasis and drug resistance (bone metastasis, trastuzumab resistance, tamoxifen resistance and novel therapeutic targets, including non-coding RNAs, inflammatory cytokines, cancer stem cells, ubiquitin ligases, tumor microenvironment and signaling pathways such as TRAIL, JAK-STAT and mTOR) and recent developments in the field (epigenetic regulation, microRNAs-mediated regulation, novel therapies and the clinically relevant 3D models). Experts also discuss the advances in laboratory research along with their translational and clinical implications with an overarching goal to improve the diagnosis and prognosis, particularly that of breast cancer patients with advanced disease.

Book The Tumor Microenvironment

    Book Details:
  • Author : Rebecca G. Bagley
  • Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
  • Release : 2010-09-02
  • ISBN : 1441966153
  • Pages : 765 pages

Download or read book The Tumor Microenvironment written by Rebecca G. Bagley and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-09-02 with total page 765 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fact that tumors are composed of both tumor cells and host cells has long been known. These tumor-associated cells include vascular endothelial cells and pe- cytes, as well as inflammatory cells such as neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, mast cells and eosinophils, and lymphocytes. The tumor cells also interact with stromal cells and with elements of the tissue extracellular matrix. What has been less appreciated is the role that these cells could have in modulating the growth, invasion, and metastasis of the tumor. Early on, the elements of what we now call the tumor microenvironment were considered to be more or less innocent bysta- ers to the role of the tumor cells as they grew and invaded local sites. Today, there is an increased understanding of the critical role of the tumor microenvironment as dramatically influencing the course of tumor development and dissemination. This volume represents a superb compilation of the latest thoughts and data regarding the role of each essential component of the tumor microenvironment in cancer development and progression. Perhaps, the earliest recognition of the role of nonmalignant cells as cancer re- lators was the recognition that lymphocytes can participate in what was termed “immune surveillance” in the 1960s. Our understanding of tumor immunity has improved markedly since then, and there are now successful clinical studies sh- ing the potential use of immune-based therapies in cancer treatment.