Preface

The practical need for a readily accessible, up-to-date, comprehensive therapy resource, supported by referenced literature, was the original inspiration of the first edition of Hematology-Oncology Therapy. The book received considerable acclaim and filled a void in the medical literature as a practical guide and reference for practicing oncologists and hematologists. The rapid and numerous advances in the field of hematology-oncology are reflected in the updated information of this second edition. Over 500 treatment regimens are presented in a concise and uniform format that includes oncologic disorders, non-neoplastic hematologic disorders, and supportive care.

The three sections of Hematology-Oncology Therapy are:

1. Oncology

2. Supportive Care, Drug Preparation, Complications, and Screening

3. Selected Hematologic Diseases.

Section I provides detailed information about the administration, supportive care, toxicity, dose modification, monitoring, and efficacy of commonly used and recently approved chemotherapeutic regimens, drugs, and biological agents. Each chapter is focused on a specific cancer, and contains information about epidemiology, pathology, work-up, and staging, as well as survival data. In addition, each chapter has a new feature, Expert Opinion, in which experts in the field provide treatment recommendations and guidance on the use of the included regimens.

Section II consists of topics commonly encountered in clinical hematology-oncology practice. Section III provides an authoritative guide to therapy for principal diseases in consultative hematology.

Hematology-Oncology Therapy integrates extensive information that is critical to both office- and hospital-based clinical practice of hematology and oncology. This comprehensive approach makes the book invaluable to all practitioners involved in the care of patients with cancer or hematologic diseases and complements other excellent book references in hematology-oncology.

We wish to express our appreciation to the many contributors to this book, whose expert knowledge in their fields makes Hematology-Oncology Therapy a unique addition to the medical literature. They helped us compile the extensive and detailed therapy information contained in this book, which is a testament to the efforts of so many to improve the treatment of patients with oncologic and hematologic diseases. We also wish to thank our editors at McGraw-Hill for their continued support, patience, and faith in our vision and concept for this book. Their professional support has earned our praise and debt of gratitude. Finally, we would like to thank those with whom we work and those we love for their support during the writing and editing of the second edition.