Gastrointestinal Malignancies

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are common diseases worldwide. About 400,000 patients are diagnosed with esophageal cancer worldwide each year and nearly 330,000 die for this disease. Roughly 870,000 patients are newly diagnosed each year with gastric cancer and over 600,000 die from the disease each year. And 940,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed annually and 490,000 patients die from this disease.

Management options for patients with GI cancer have undergone dramatic changes in the past decade. New cytotoxic agents, novel targeted agents, surgical and ablative options, as well as a new array of supportative medications have shown substantial progress. With the increased number of therapeutic options from which to choose, the clinician is better placed to offer effective therapy. At the same time the clinician is challenged to keep abreast of the rapidly changing treatment landscape and the newly emerging data that is shaping the options for treatment today and in the future.

Gastrointestinal Malignancies provides a comprehensive and in-depth review of this group of malignancies. This volume reviews the current literature, provides critical evaluations of the data, and offers evidence-based recommendations. The editors and authors are leaders in their fields. The chapters update the current screening tools for colon cancers, assessment of predictive markers such as k-Ras and BRAF in the management of colon cancer as well as the state-of-the-art for use of both cytotoxic chemotherapy and the incorporation of newer biological therapies.

About the Series:

Emerging Cancer Therapeutics is an invited review publication providing a through analysis of key clinical research related to cancer therapeutics, including a discussion and assessment of current evidence, current clinical best practice, and likely near future developments. There is an emphasis throughout on multidisciplinary approaches to the specialty, as well as on quality and outcomes analysis. Published three times a year Emerging Cancer Therapeutics provides authoritative, thorough assessments of advances in therapeutics in all major areas of oncology, both solid and hematologic malignancies, with a focus on advances in medical and biological therapies with emerging clinical impact and encompassing new technologies with implications for management such as molecular imaging.

Features of the Emerging Cancer Therapeutics include:

Editorial board of nationally recognized experts across the spectrum of Cancer Therapeutics
In-depth, up-to-date expert reviews and analysis of major new developments in all areas of Cancer Therapeutics
Issues edited by an authority in specific subject area
Focuses on major topics in Cancer Therapeutics with in-depth articles covering advancs in clinical and translational research developments as well as clinical applications and experience
Emphasizes multidisciplinary approaches to research and practice
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Reviews
"The reviews are most helpful to all clinical providers and, though not mentioned as a target audience, clinical trainees.
Both common (colorectal cancer) and rare (GIST) gastrointestinal malignancies are addressed in this book. There is a heavy emphasis on evolving targeted therapies, their oncologic rationale and current therapeutic applications and outcomes. The comparative outcomes of conventional and novel therapeutics are presented in easy to follow tables. An exceptional and comprehensive review of multimodality therapy for esophageal cancer is presented in this volume. A clinically useful and concise review of a range of current and emerging therapies for gastrointestinal malignancies is presented in this book."-Doody's Reviews

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Contents
Series Forward; Preface; Contributors; 1. Screening of Colorectal Cancer, M. Wasif Saif; 2. Assessment of k-RAS and BRAF Mutations in Metastatic Cancer, Richard Kim, Brooke Phillips, and M. Wasif Saif; 3. Esophageal Cancer: 3.1 Advances in Surgical Therapy for Esophageal Cancer, H. Yeo, A. Shariff, and C. Cha; 3.2 New Developments in Combined-Modality Therapy, Bryan Chung; 3.3 New Developments in Radiation Therapy Planning, Bryan Chung; 3.4 Chemotherapy and Targeted Agents for Stage IV Esophageal Cancer, M. Wasif Saif; 4. Gastric Cancer, Sobha Kurian, Susan Alsamarai, and M. Wasif Saif; 5. Hepatocellular Cancer, Yun Yen, Chiun Hsu, All-Lii Cheng, Antonios Arvelakis, M. Wasif Saif, and Sukru Emre; 6. Colorectal Cancer, Robert Diasio and M. Wasif Saif; 7. Pancreatic Cancer, M. Wasif Saif and Jonathan Knisely; 8. Gastrointestinal Stromal Cancers, Bilal Ahmed and Tanios Bekaii-Saab; 9. Current Management of Anal Cancer, David Grew, Bryan Chung, and M. Wasif Saif; 10. Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma, Jia Li and M. Wasif Saif
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About the Guest Editors
M. Wasif Saif, MD, MBBS
M. Wasif Saif, MD, MBBS is the guest editor for Gastrointestinal Malignancies and Associate Professor of Medicine, Medical Oncology, Director, GI Cancers Program, Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Jame Abraham, MD, FACP

Jame Abraham is Editor-in-Chief of the Emerging Cancer Therapeutics series and Bonnie Wells Wilson Distinguised Professor and Eminent Scholar, Chief Section of Hematology - Oncology, and Medical Director, Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia.