It has become clear that tumors arise from excessive cell proliferation and a c- responding reduction in cell death. Tumors result from the successive accumulation of mutations in key regulatory target genes over time. During the 1980s, a number of oncogenes were characterized, whereas from the 1990s to the present, the emphasis shifted to tumor suppressor genes (TSGs). It has become clear that oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes function in the same pathways, providing positive and ne- tive growth regulatory activities. The signaling pathways controlled by these genes involve virtually every process in cell biology, including nuclear events, cell cycle, cell death, cytoskeletal, cell membrane, angiogenesis, and cell adhesion effects. Tumor suppressor genes are mutated in hereditary cancer syndromes, as well as somatically in nonhereditary cancers. In their normal state, TSGs control cancer development and p- gression, as well as contribute to the sensitivity of cancers to a variety of therapeutics. Understanding the classes of TSGs, the biochemical pathways they function in, and how they are regulated provides an essential lesson in cancer biology. We cannot hope to advance our current knowledge and to develop new and more effective therapies without understanding the relevant pathways and how they influence the present approaches to therapy. Moreover, it is important to be able to access the powerful tools now available to discover these genes, as well as their links to cell biology and growth control.
Powerful new tools are now available to discover and understand tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) and the biochemical mechanisms by which they control cancer development and progression. In Tumor Suppressor Genes, Volume 1: Pathways and Isolation Strategies, leading physician scientists and academic researchers review all the known tumor suppressor genes, explain how they work, and describe how they were discovered and isolated. In many cases, the authors discuss specific genes that are frequently involved in hereditary or sporadic cancers. They also provide a detailed guide to using powerful molecular genetic, cytogenetic, proteomic, and cell biological strategies to isolate and characterize novel tumor suppressor genes and their targets. The companion volume of this set, Tumor Suppressor Genes, Volume 2: Regulation, Function, and Medicinal Applications, demonstrates how best to explore the cell biology and biochemical function of such genes, and their encoded proteins, to study their physiological role in vivo, and to use information on TSGs to develop diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cancer.
Comprehensive and authoritative, the two volumes of Tumor Suppressor Genes provide an unparalleled compilation of key data on all known tumor suppressor pathways and a treasury of techniques for their discovery, analysis, and uses in cancer therapeutics.
