This book is the fourth volume of a series on metastasis by Drs Weiss and Gilbert. Metastasis is inherent to the biology of a malignant tumor; yet, oncologists (surgical, medical, or radiation) have little knowledge of how this biologic process occurs. In this volume, Weiss and Gilbert elucidate the complex phenomenon of metastases to bone.
This monograph is divided into six parts, dealing with the pathophysiology of bone metastases, diagnosis, rehabilitation, and drug, surgical, and radiation therapy. The first part of the monograph, entitled "A Background to Metastasis in Bone," gives an excellent discussion of how tumor cells are shed, the importance of the perivertebral vein system, and the mechanisms of bone destruction by tumor cells. The chapters by Drs Gullino, Mundy, and Batson are outstanding and should be considered "required reading" by oncologists. The parts on drug and radiation therapy provide the reader with an excellent overview of current