Hans G. Beger (EDT), Markus Buchler (EDT), Ralph A. Reisfeld (EDT), Gregor Schulz (EDT) Cancer Therapy

Annotation

A variety of new cancer therapy modalities are discussed and evaluated in this book. It aims to demonstrate that the combination of classical chemo- and radiotherapy with new approaches in the field of immunotherapy can result in an improved treatment modality. Immunotherapy in this context consists of therapy with monoclonal antibodies, hematopoietic growth factors and other lymphokines. Results of early clinical trials with IL-2, GM-CSF and monoclonal antibodies against gastrointestinal tumors and melanoma are included. The progress in regional chemotherapy strategies, for example of the liver, is shown. In addition, the development of new chemotherapeutic agents with a different mode of action as well as better tolerability is presented. The use of hormones, such as LH-RH agonists, allows hormone-dependent tumors such as prostatic and breast cancer to be treated without strong adverse reactions. These recent findings give the reader insight into exciting therapeutic directions made possible by such combined, rather than single, modalities.