MINIMALLY INVASIVE CANCER MANAGEMENT

As minimal access approaches to cancer diagnosis, staging, and therapy become more widely used, it is vital for general surgeons, along with laparoscopists, surgical oncologists and medical oncologists, to stay up to date. The editors, a team consisting of a renowned surgical oncologist and a laparoscopic specialist, aim to provide a resource for the practicing general surgeon using basic minimally invasive techniques. The book discusses diagnosis including biopsy with microinstrumentation, staging, and palliative and curative resection. Specific tumor sites are addressed, including esophagus, stomach, spleen, small bowel, pancreato-biliary, hepatic resection, and colo-rectal resection. Minimally invasive approaches to the thoracic and retroperitoneal areas are included. The book provides a thorough overview of basic cancer biology, instrumentation, and ultrasound. Additionally, Greene and Heniford explore controversial issues such as port-site recurrence and the effect of pneumoperitoneum on the spread of cancer cells in the abdomen. Many photographs and line drawings, including 16 in full color, illustrate the principles discussed in the text. A must-have for every practicing general surgeon, laparoscopic fellow, and general surgery resident.

From the reviews:

"Many books on laparoscopic surgery have been published ... but few have specifically addressed its role in the field of oncology. This multi-author book begins with ... important general principles pertaining to minimal access surgery ... and various technical aspects of oncological operations. This is ... complemented by excellent illustrations. ... targeted mainly at surgeons who perform advanced laparoscopic operations and those who work in the field of oncology, it would also be of interest to those who have a general interest in laparoscopic surgery." (P.C. Bornman, SAJS, Vol. 44 (1), February, 2006)