The first edition of this book, published in 1985 was
a testimony to the dramatic molecular revolution
that was taking place in biology and consequently
in cancer research at that time. The book evolved
from a series of introductory lectures developed to
help new students and research fellows that came
to work at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund
Laboratories in London to assimilate the rapidly
evolving body of knowledge on cancer. These
popular talks were designed to give the non-expert
a background to related areas of research and were
given by experts from within the Imperial Cancer
Research Fund, many of whom subsequently contributed
chapters to the first edition of the book.
Twenty years later, the need for a comprehensive
introduction to this broad field is even more
apparent and the introductory lectures at what is
now the Cancer Research UK London Research
Institute continue and are as popular as ever.
Today, laboratory science has begun to have a real
impact on clinical medicine and it is of utmost
importance that scientists have not only a broad
view of laboratory cancer research but also a good
understanding of the most up to date treatment
options. Similarly, it is essential that clinicians
treating the various types of neoplastic disease are
aware of developments in basic science and can
apply these appropriately. It is our view that only
when determined attempts to bridge the gap
between the laboratory and clinic are made by both
clinicians and scientists that rapid translation will
take place. Our objective has been to facilitate
acquisition of basic information on all aspects of
cancer research to facilitate this process.