This issue of the Surgical Oncology Clinics will review the important clinical trials from the past eight years in following topics: breast cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, rectal and anal carcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, colon cancer, advanced and metastatic colorectal carcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and melanoma.

This issue of Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America, guest edited by Dr. Elin R. Sigurdson, is devoted to Clinical Trials in Surgical Oncology. Dr. Sigurdson has assembled expert authors to review the following topics: Commentary on Randomized Controlled Trials; Randomized Clinical Trials in Soft Tissue Sarcoma; Randomized Clinical Trials in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors; Randomized Clinical Trials in Melanoma; Randomized Clinical Trials in Breast Cancer; Randomized Clinical Trials in Gastroesophageal Carcinoma; Randomized Clinical Trials in Hepatocellular Carcinoma; An Update on Randomized Clinical Trials in Advanced and Metastatic Colorectal Carcinoma; Randomized Clinical Trials in Colon and Rectal Cancer; Randomized Clinical Trials in Anal Cancers; The Elderly in Randomized Clinical Trials; Hereditary Syndromes in Clinical Trials; Future Clinical Trials: Genetically Driven Trials; Randomized Clinical Trials in Neuroendocrine Tumors, and more!

In this issue, guest editors bring their considerable expertise to this important topic.Provides in-depth reviews on the latest updates in the field, providing actionable insights for clinical practice. Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize

In this issue of Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America, Guest Editor Clifford Ko, MD has assembled the top experts concerning Outcomes Research in Oncology. Topics in this issue will include: Currently Available Quality Initiatives in Surgical Oncology; Variation in Mortality After High Risk Cancer Surgery: Failure to Rescue; Readmission as a Quality Measure Following High Risk Cancer Surgery; Randomized Controlled Trials in Surgical Oncology: Where Do We Stand?; Lymph Node Staging in GI Malignancies; Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Cancer Care; Patient Safety in Surgical Oncology: Perspective from the Operating Room; Value Based Health Care: A Surgical Oncologist Perspective; Monitoring the Delivery of Cancer Care: Commission on Cancer and National Cancer Data Base; Prediction Tools in Surgical Oncology; Collaboration With the Community Cancer Center: Benefit for All; and Evaluating the Appropriateness of Cancer Care in the United States.

A definitive, accessible, and reliable resource which provides a solid foundation of the knowledge and basic science needed to hone all of the core surgical skills used in surgical settings. Presented in a clear and accessible way it addresses the cross-specialty aspects of surgery applicable to all trainees.

The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program has played a key role in developing new and improved cancer therapies. However, the program is falling short of its potential, and the IOM recommends changes that aim to transform the Cooperative Group Program into a dynamic system that efficiently responds to emerging scientific knowledge; involves broad cooperation of stakeholders; and leverages evolving technologies to provide high-quality, practice-changing research.

Esophageal cancer causes an estimated 386,000 deaths worldwide and is the sixth most common cause of death for men. The background characteristics of esophageal cancer treatment are markedly different between Asian and Western countries, however. In tumor histology, squamous cell carcinoma associated with smoking and alcohol consumption is overwhelmingly prevalent in Asia, whereas adenocarcinoma associated with Barrett’s metaplasia is markedly prevalent in the West. In Asia, especially in Japan, the key persons who play important roles in the management of esophageal cancer patients are surgeons; in the West those roles are filled by medical and radiation oncologists as well as surgeons. The philosophy of surgeons regarding cancer surgery varies from locoregional to local tumor control, particularly in focusing on lymph node dissection. Physicians’ approach to surgical adjuvant therapy differs, therefore, between Asia and the West. Considering these East–West differences in esophageal cancer treatment, the currently available results of Western evidence should not be considered directly applicable to esophageal cancer in Asia. In this book, the authors discuss the knowledge base in Japan in terms of treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Since this volume contains a wide spectrum of current information and addresses topics surrounding the treatment of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, it is highly relevant to Asian physicians and researchers as well as to their counterparts in the West.

The book covers the basic concept of surgical and oncosurgical disciplines as a whole, as well as the management of surgical patients from pre-op preparation to discharge, i.e., all the basics needed for a successful outcome for oncosurgical patients. It covers surgical safety, the consumer protection act, medico-legal aspects, the importance of documentation, research and publications, and managing complications. The respective chapters cover pre-operative, intra-operative, and ICU management of cancer patients, based on a multi-disciplinary approach. Additionally, they highlight recent advances in surgical oncology and so-called incurable cancers. Edited and written by an interdisciplinary team of experts in oncology and palliative care, the book is intended as a clinically useful guide to the overlapping topics of pain management in cancer patients and the treatment of cancer in patients with multiple co-morbidities like cardiovascular, respiratory disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Given its scope, it will benefit multi-disciplinary oncologists, pain, palliative and intensive care experts, as well as students of surgical disciplines, from MBBS, MS and DNB, to MRCS, MCh and FRCS.

Included here is a discussion of the pathophysiological aspects and risks of laparoscopic staging (such as trocar metastases) on the basis of international experience.

This issue of Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America, devoted to Imaging in Oncology, is edited by Dr. Vijay Khatri. Articles in this issue include: Imaging of Central Nervous Tumors; Role of Imaging in Head and Neck Malignancies; Imaging of Thoracic Cavity Tumor; Diagnostic Imaging of Hepatobiliary Malignancies; Recent Advances in Genito-Urinary Tract Tumors; Current Status of Imaging for Adrenal Glands; Radiology of Soft Tissue Tumors; Image-Guided Interventions in Oncology; Imaging of Pancreatic Neoplasms; Imaging of Primary Malignant Tumors of Peritoneal and Retroperitoneal Origin; Breast Tumor Imaging; and Application of Intraoperative Imaging in Oncology.