Medical Management of Hematological Malignant DiseasesEmil J Freireich, Hagop M. Kantarjian, eds. New York (NY): Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1998. 584 pp., illus. $195. ISBN 0-8247-9886-4

Extract

Medical Management of Hematological Malignant Diseases is a new reference textbook that summarizes current therapy for hematologic neoplasms. The book is divided into four sections; the first three sections cover major categories of hematologic neoplasms, and the last section reviews a variety of issues relating to treatment of hematologic cancers. The first three sections are divided into chapters covering specific hematologic disorders, and each chapter focuses on major advances and current strategies for treating hematologic cancers.

The first section deals with acute and chronic leukemias. The chapters in this section are well written and researched. They will serve as excellent references. The chapters on acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) are especially noteworthy. The chapter on APL gives a comprehensive review for the role of all trans -retinoic acid and its implications for treatment strategies. The chapter on CML provides an excellent review of the impact of interferon and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation on treatment strategies for CML. Clinicians will find the “Practical Guidelines of IFN-alpha Therapy” particularly useful.