The Biology of Cancer, 2nd Edition

I hesitated to purchase this book because I couldn't imagine that a scholarly work that deals comprehensively with such a complex subject could be accessible. I thought that it might be useful as a reference but but otherwise unreadable. I pictured a dull book that would be mired in details and filled with jargon. Wrong! At times, the book reads like a detective novel. It develops many topics historically and asks the reader to picture what the scientific community's thoughts and predictions were prior to key experiments and technical innovations. You often get swept up in the story as additional data are introduced. I sometimes found my self trying to guess which of the offered interpretations was the proper one before it gets revealed in the next paragraph. Altogether, Dr. Weinberg is to be commended for performing an almost impossible feat: revealing the details of carcinogenesis and, at the same time telling a fascinating tale of scientific sleuthing.There's more great stuff. The book is beautifully and profusely illustrated. The writing style is clear, to the point, and free of clutter. There's a comprehensive list of abbreviations and gene names in the back. Each chapter ends with a list of key concepts that are worth the price of admission by themselves.I highly recommend the book to those with a reasonable background in molecular biology who want an exciting, fascinating, yet exhaustive take on the biology of cancer.

This is a textbook, not a work of fiction - it should not have been so tough to put down! It's been a year since I've read this and I'm now looking for another specialized book. I know that in comparison to this, I'll be disappointed in whatever I choose. The material just flows from one page to the next, and it manages to do so while discussing historical contexts, high-level summaries, and nitty gritty details. Perhaps it's this frequent adjustment of scope that maintains the excitement. It certainly does not read like one of those dry textbooks where you end up forgetting what you're reading midway through a sentence, or trying to distract yourself after every paragraph.I think you'll be able to make it through the material regardless of your prior level of knowledge. There's one denser chapter on signaling, and biologists are not the best at naming things, but the rest is easily digestible. The biology of cancer is really just cell biology without ignoring malfunctions, so there's a little something for everyone. If you're even questioning reading this book, don't hesitate!

Seriously, this was MORE FUN to read than I could have imagined. It is clearly a scholarly masterpiece but it is so well written and in the most interesting style that it is a tremendously enjoyable book to read. Dr. Weinberg takes the reader through the history of discoveries in oncology and in the most interesting way (exploring the initial discovery and how it was substantiated and why OR how it fell apart and why). Each chapter is a masterpiece of its own with detailed, clear, easy to follow figures and tables that enhance the text. Sidebar discussions scattered in the chapters deal with some of the most fascinating questions in biology/ oncology (conservation of gene function, how the powers of the immune system dictate whether transformed cells can form tumors, etc). Have not even gotten to the DVD yet but just finished reading this fascinating textbook. I am an internist with a Ph.D. in nutritional biochemistry and only, until recently, a passing interest in oncology. Really enjoyed reading this book and will reread it (have written in the margins, underlined). Recommend it highly, more than highly. The accompanying chart is one that I will be taking with me to an oncology conference in December and I bet it is extremely useful for putting presentations of research findings into context!

With the name Weinberg on the book, you will get to know the book will be well organized and illustrated. This one is much more different from the first edition published on the year 2006. After reading the updated version of " Hallmarks of cancer", if you think you need more, you must read this book, and pls be aware that this book come up with a poster as can be seen in my photos.If your are interested in the molecular mechanism underlying the progress of cancer, I really suggested you to read this one, as you will find this book informative with emphasize on the gene instability and mutations. However, if you want to get a comprehensive view of this area, pls refer to " the molecular basis of cancer (4th)", which is also very organized and tend to cover more aspects than this one. If you are MD, and want to be more familiar to clinical related applications, use another book "Devita, Hellman and Rosenberg's cancer principles...", they are more focusing on clinical practices. Overall, if this book will have a third edition, and I hope it will, I will buy one with no hesitation.

As a non-medical professional or non-medical student, the textbook may be a bit ponderous, as ancillary reading is needed to understand some of the material. The glossary and abbreviations guide at the back of the book are very helpful for those not studying to be oncologists and wish to have more knowledge and be better equipped to help those living with/surviving/enduring cancer. Wish it wasn't so expensive, but the non-bound or loose-leaf version costs less and can be placed into a three-ring binder. It also makes taking one chapter or section on trips for easier reading than lugging an entire book.