Book Review
Hormones, Genes, and Cancer
N Engl J Med 2003; 349:2081-2082November 20, 2003
- Article
Hormones, Genes, and Cancer
Edited by Brian E. Henderson, Bruce Ponder, and Ronald K. Ross. 450 pp., illustrated. New York, Oxford University Press, 2003. $89.50. ISBN: 0-19-513576-8It has been more than 100 years since the role of hormones in the risk of cancer was first recognized. Given the extensive body of work produced in this area during the past 60 years, it is a credit to the authors of Hormones, Genes, and Cancer that the book offers an up-to-date, thorough summary of the field. Henderson, Ponder, and Ross have brought together an impressive group of experts who have reviewed a range of topics, from the fundamentals of steroid hormone biosynthesis and metabolism to epidemiologic and molecular genetic studies, to polymorphisms in genes involved in hormonal response pathways, and to prevention and treatment. The subject is wide-ranging, and yet important issues are presented in depth.
In Hormones, Genes, and Cancer, readers will find extensive reviews of breast and prostate cancer, with concise summaries of research on endometrial, ovarian, and testicular cancers. One can also find the chemical structure of almost any steroid hormone, ligand, selective estrogen-receptor modulator, or synthetic agonist or antagonist. Impressive three-dimensional, schematic diagrams in color of androgen-receptor and estrogen-receptor ligand-binding domains are presented as well. For people who are interested in chromosomal-map positions, information on the location of almost every gene involved in the biosynthesis, transport, and metabolism of steroid hormones is given. There are excellent reviews of the nuclear-receptor family, basic concepts and methods in genetics and genomics, and epidemiologic evidence of the association between steroid hormones and cancer risk, as well as hormonal chemoprevention.
In many instances, a description of every pertinent study, whether negative or positive, is given. Each contributor has tried to discuss the topic at hand, to indicate the areas of ambiguity, and to suggest areas that warrant further study. This has been accomplished with more success in some chapters than in others, but that is to be expected in a publication with multiple authors.
Any one of the topics could be expanded into a book of its own, yet the authors have succeeded in assembling the vast literature into one cohesive book. That is not to suggest that one need only read this book from cover to cover to be completely informed about hormones, genes, and cancer. Rather, an individual chapter could be thought of as a review of the current literature and a starting point for further reading. Most of the contributors present summaries of the topics that include extensive — and at times formidable — lists of references that provide complete coverage of the topics. Some topics are covered in more than one chapter, and some chapters are redundant. However, because one may choose to be selective, this does not detract from the value of the book.
One major area that is not explored in depth is that of cross-talk between steroid hormones and other cellular signaling pathways. Novel cancer therapies are expected to be developed on the basis of research on the signaling pathways that are involved in cancer. The field is expanding and should be considered for inclusion in a future edition of Hormones, Genes, and Cancer.
This book provides an excellent example of the need for the expertise and viewpoints of many disciplines in explaining the relations of hormones and genes to cancer in humans. With the ever-expanding amount of information in this area, future efforts to integrate the research studies into an up-to-date, all-inclusive book may be a challenge. For the present, Hormones, Genes, and Cancer provides an excellent resource for those who want to use a single book to become familiar with these complex relations.
Irene L. Andrulis, Ph.D.
Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
andrulis@mshri.on. ca
