Cancer Consult: Expertise for Clinical Practice

Book Preface

It is commonplace in the oncology arena for patients to request a “second opinion.”

But it is equally usual for oncologists to discuss with a colleague a complex or unusual case, or a patient with serious comorbidities, to insure that a particular individual is given the greatest opportunity to experience the benefits of therapy while minimizing the risks of possible treatment-related harm. Such discussions occur both within a particular specialty (e.g., surgery, radiation, or medical oncology) and between various specialties.

And as cancer management becomes more multimodal in nature, with an increasing focus on both maximizing the opportunity for extended survival and at the same time optimizing quality of life, the requirement for essential communication between individual specialists with their own unique knowledge and experience of critically relevant components of care becomes ever more important.

It is with these thoughts in mind that the editors conceived of an oncology text that would focus on the “expert perspectives” of oncology professionals. The intent was to have each individual book chapter be viewed as a “mini-consultation” provided by a specialist regarding a specific, highly clinically relevant issue in cancer management.

Considering the specific purpose and focus of the material presented, the book is written without detailed references (although a few selected readings are included at the end of each chapter). However, many of the authors have prepared a more extensive reference list, and the editors will be happy to email any reader the more detailed reference lists for individual book chapters, if so requested.

The chapters that follow have been written by clinicians selected for their recognized clinical expertise and experience. It is hoped that those reading this book will find the material of value in their own interactions with their patients.