Hum Genet (2009) 126:325DOI 10.1007/s00439-009-0682-1

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BOOK REVIEW

Heike Allgayer, Helga Rehder and Simone Fulda: Hereditary tumours: from genes to clinical consequencesWiley-Blackwell, 2009, HB, 530 p, £115, ISBN 978-3-527-32028-8

Mark Davies

Published online: 9 June 2009© Springer-Verlag 2009

This multi-author book aims to summarize molecular, diag-nostic and therapeutic aspects of hereditary tumour dis-eases. Most of the book consists of chapters devoted tospeciWc types of tumour and the range covered is broad. Allthe common cancer sites are covered including the breast,the ovary and the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, topicsoften not covered comprehensively in comparable texts areincluded, such as paediatric and haematological cancersand the tumours associated with conditions traditionallyconsidered as dysmorphic syndromes.

The book’s stated target audience is broad, includingmedical students, laboratory scientists and clinicians in arange of medical specialities. My initial concern was thatthis ‘one glove Wts all approach’ may not meet diVeringneeds of such diverse groups and after reading the text itseems really to have been written for a more restricted audi-ence, namely clinicians who manage patients with an inher-ited risk of cancer. Perhaps this is a reXection of theperspectives of the authors, most of whom are practisingclinicians.

The emphasis on molecular and clinical aspects variesbetween chapters. Writing from the perspective of a clinicalcancer geneticist, the best chapters not only provide anoverview of the topic, but also provide pragmatic advice onclinical aspects, suggestive of the authors’ familiarity withday to day practice in the Weld. A number of chapters pro-vide sample pedigrees which helps put dry lists of diagnos-tic criteria in the context of clinical scenarios whichclinicians encounter. Historically the areas of cancer genet-ics which have been best established relate to disease

deWnitions, descriptions of clinical features and an under-standing of underlying molecular mechanisms. Evidencebased management and rational targeting of therapeuticagents are more recent developments and this is reXected inthe book. Each chapter adequately describes molecularaspects and clinical manifestations but in general manage-ment issues such as patient selection, diagnostic assessmentand therapeutic intervention are less well addressed.

The book is topped and tailed by chapters addressinggeneral aspects. The discussions on genetic counselling andpsychological issues are interesting and relevant. The dis-cussion of the basic genetics of inherited cancer provides auseful introduction for someone new to the Weld. A coupleof these general chapters are too focused, providingdetailed molecular descriptions of very speciWc topicswhich seem out of keeping with the rest of the text.

For the all but the most motivated medical student thisbook provides everything and, perhaps, more than theywould want to know about cancer genetics. For a laboratoryscientist, highly focussed on one or two particular areas, thebook provides an overview of the Weld; its clinical slantmay give an additional perspective and the level of molecu-lar details is suYcient to provide a starting point for furtherreading. From a personal point of view, I would have likedto see more detail regarding patient management but for aclinician seeking either an overview of cancer genetics or areference book when an uncommonly encountered condi-tion presents this book is to be recommended.

M. Davies (&)Institute of Medical Genetics, University Hospital of Wales, CardiV CF14 4XN, UKe-mail: daviesdm@cardiV.ac.uk