Rare and Uncommon Gynecological Cancers - A Clinical Guide review most of the relatively uncommon and rare gynaecological cancers. It is not easy to find this kind of information in the standard textbooks. Rare conditions generally attract a disproportionate amount of interest compared to their rarity.
Perhaps this is because unusual cases generate additional interest and also reflects the fact that for many of us, this presents a distraction from the humdrum of routine care where we are forced to think and seek out information. Rare editions of books, art or music attract collectors, perhaps for the same reasons. Nevertheless it is important when we are dealing with rare and uncommon disorders that we apply the highest standards.
Many would argue that because of their rarity these conditions should be looked after by specialist teams. This allows a smaller number of expert teams to develop real expertise in this field. Furthermore, it would seem sensible to propose that there is a degree of centralisation of care for these conditions. Protocols for shared care may be developed in parallel and there are good examples available to follow such as in gestational trophoblastic tumours.
Why is there a need for such a book as this? The main rationale for the book is to provide the reader with some guidance on how best to manage these patients with rare and uncommon cancers. Access to information on these rare cancers can be difficult even in our modern age of rapid electronic communications and electronic repositories of information. Standard textbooks often contain little information apart from descriptive pathology. One can often find a wealth of information on the histopathology as pathologists usually cross-refer to each other and the main centres may develop an expertise in reviewing and reporting these cancers. However, for many of these conditions, modern and constructive management advice is hard to find. Surgeons and oncologists are not so good as pathologists in networking traditionally, although informal networks and “phone-a friend” may be carried out. Modern medical practice is breaking down these barriers. A book like this cannot be too proscriptive as there is often not the information available to allow such an approach, but our expert authors are recognised specialists in their field and have produced authoritative guidance on how to interpret the available literature. We cannot produce specific protocols for most situations but can guide the readers through the published literature and hopefully allow them to draw the right conclusions and apply them to their practice. Of course the greatest weakness is that virtually from the moment the author completes the chapter, it is in danger of obsolescence as a new paper is published. However, with rare conditions this may be less of a risk and developments tend to occur more slowly as cases are so few, but occasional dramatic breakthroughs are seen such as the treatment of GIST with imatinib.
Perhaps this is because unusual cases generate additional interest and also reflects the fact that for many of us, this presents a distraction from the humdrum of routine care where we are forced to think and seek out information. Rare editions of books, art or music attract collectors, perhaps for the same reasons. Nevertheless it is important when we are dealing with rare and uncommon disorders that we apply the highest standards.
Many would argue that because of their rarity these conditions should be looked after by specialist teams. This allows a smaller number of expert teams to develop real expertise in this field. Furthermore, it would seem sensible to propose that there is a degree of centralisation of care for these conditions. Protocols for shared care may be developed in parallel and there are good examples available to follow such as in gestational trophoblastic tumours.
Why is there a need for such a book as this? The main rationale for the book is to provide the reader with some guidance on how best to manage these patients with rare and uncommon cancers. Access to information on these rare cancers can be difficult even in our modern age of rapid electronic communications and electronic repositories of information. Standard textbooks often contain little information apart from descriptive pathology. One can often find a wealth of information on the histopathology as pathologists usually cross-refer to each other and the main centres may develop an expertise in reviewing and reporting these cancers. However, for many of these conditions, modern and constructive management advice is hard to find. Surgeons and oncologists are not so good as pathologists in networking traditionally, although informal networks and “phone-a friend” may be carried out. Modern medical practice is breaking down these barriers. A book like this cannot be too proscriptive as there is often not the information available to allow such an approach, but our expert authors are recognised specialists in their field and have produced authoritative guidance on how to interpret the available literature. We cannot produce specific protocols for most situations but can guide the readers through the published literature and hopefully allow them to draw the right conclusions and apply them to their practice. Of course the greatest weakness is that virtually from the moment the author completes the chapter, it is in danger of obsolescence as a new paper is published. However, with rare conditions this may be less of a risk and developments tend to occur more slowly as cases are so few, but occasional dramatic breakthroughs are seen such as the treatment of GIST with imatinib.
Part I General Principles
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Epidemiology and Databases
- 3 Rare and Uncommon Gynaecological Cancers: A Clinical Guide
- 4 The Contribution of Diagnostic Imaging in Rare Gynaecological Malignancies
- 5 Mucinous Cancers: Ovary
- 6 Pseudomyxoma Peritonei
- 7 Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma
- 8 Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary
- 9 The Continuum of Serous Ovarian Tumors of Low Malignant Potential and Low-Grade Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary
- 10 Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors
- 11 Squamous Cell Carcinomas Arising From Dermoids
- 12 Ovarian Carcinosarcomas
- 13 Small Cell and Neuroendocrine Cancers of the Ovary
- 14 Primary Ovarian Carcinoids and Neuro-Endocrine Tumours Including Struma Ovarii
- 15 Reed Uterine Carcinosarcomas
- 16 Leiomyosarcomas of Uterus
- 17 Mucinous Tumours of the Uterine Corpus
- 18 Clear Cell Cancers of Uterus
- 19 Small Cell and Neuroendocrine Cancers of the Cervix
- 20 Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Vulva and Vagina
- 21 Gynecologic Cancers in Pregnancy: Guidelines of an International Consensus Meeting
Product Details
- Hardcover: 233 pages
- Publisher: Springer; 1st edition (January 19, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 3642134912
- ISBN-13: 978-3642134913