Homeostasis - Tumor - Metastasis

Homeostasis. The health of an organism is influenced by external and internal changes that may lead to the loss of homeostasis. Under healthy conditions organisms compensate these changes. If compensation fails disease ensues. Attention will be paid to lifestyle, environmental changes, genetic makeup and health system. It will be answered how lifestyle, environment, genetic makeup and social conditions help to maintain or upset the biological balance and lead to cancer.
Tumor formation. To understand this process the transfer of intracellular and the pathways of extracellular information (signal transduction) will be reviewed briefly. Loss of cellular balance may lead to cell death (.e.g. apoptosis) or to rapid cell growth of cells leading to tumor formation.
Metastasis. Animal tumor models serve to understand the spread of the primary tumor cells to distant locations of the organism. Different types of tumors and metastases will be reviewed.

First the reader will learn about maintaining homeostasis, then about loss of health by upsetting the biological balance The consequence of unbalanced cell growth helps to understand cell death and tumor formation Readers will get an idea how primary tumors cells confined to restricted areas in the body can be effectively treated without cancerous consequences Old (hematogen) and new theories (lymphatic) will help the understanding of metastatic spread of tumors

Klappentext

Human homeostasis refers to complex interactions to regulate and maintain the internal conditions of the organism under stable condition. In spite of the progress made on cell growth and division, the circuits that coordinate these processes and maintain the homeostatic balance between cell growth and cell death have not been clarified. Deregulation of homeostatic processes results in different forms of imbalances that can turn to diseases including hepatitis, cyrrhosis and tumor formation. Abnormal growth of tissues can lead to a broad spectrum of neoplastic diseases from tissue swelling, primary tumor formation, cancer and ultimately to secondary tumors known as metastases. Tumor formation is a complex process, that develops through many steps. The discussion of balance and its loss in cell growth, primary and secondary tumor formation necessitate basic information in chemistry (carcinogenesis), biochemistry (metabolism), physics (instrumentation), cell biology (compartments), anatomy, physiology, clinical experience (screening, medical imaging, therapy). The focus of this book has been placed on: a) balance of cell growth, b) tumor formation, c) development of cancer and metastasis, e) diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The steps of the lymphatic type of metastatic tumor spread are described. Due to the interdisciplinary nature, the book gives information for a wide audience including biology, biotechnology, molecular, ecology, medical, pharmacist, chemist students. Additional information is provided for biomedical, pharma, medical and life scientists, physicians and health care professionals.

Inhalt
Preface.- Homeostasis.- Cell cultures.- Loss of homeostasis.- Tumor development.- Metastasis.- References.- Abbreviations.