The Biology of Cancer

by Robert A. Weinberg

Thoroughly updated and incorporating the most important advances in the fast-growing field of cancer biology, The Biology of Cancer, Second Edition, maintains all of its hallmark features admired by students, instructors, researchers, and clinicians around the world.The Biology of Cancer is a textbook for students studying the molecular and cellular bases of cancer at the undergraduate, graduate, and medical school levels. The principles of cancer biology are presented in an organized, cogent, and in-depth manner. The clarity of writing, supported by an extensive full-color art program and numerous pedagogical features, makes the book accessible and engaging. The information unfolds through the presentation of key experiments that give readers a sense of discovery and provide insights into the conceptual foundation underlying modern cancer biology.

Genres: Science, Biology, Textbooks, Nonfiction, Medicine, Medical, Genetics

876 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2006

About the author

Robert Allan Weinberg (born November 11, 1942) is a biologist, Daniel K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), director of the Ludwig Center of the MIT, and American Cancer Society Research Professor. His research is in the area of oncogenes and the genetic basis of human cancer.

(wikipedia)

Reviews

[Shaima Abdalla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved cancer biology more than I ever did after reading this book, or let's say chapters of this text book. I only read the chapters I was required to study but I will definitely read the rest. It's one of the text books that I will keep as a reference.

"As we grow older, virtually all of us will carry populations of cells in many locations throughout the body that have completed some but not all of the steps of tumor progression. Since most of us will not live long enough for the full schedule of requisite events to be completed (because we will succeed in dying from another disease), we will never realize that any of these tumor progressions had been initiated in our bodies.

Autopsies reveal that by life’s end, 60 to 70% of individuals carry undiagnosed tumors, independent of the cause of death.

If we succeeded in avoiding the death traps set by all the other usual diseases, sooner or later most of us would become victims of cancer."

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished. Made me consider how one could cause hypothermia in solid malignant tumors by creating a vaccine that when it comes into contact with the tumor reacts to cause it to freeze and break. Kinda similar to the clinical trials out in London and San Fran

[Nu Jahat Jabin · Rating 5 out of 5]

মাত্র একটা চ্যাপটার পড়ে কোন বইকে রেটিং দেওয়া যায় কিনা জানি না।পুরা বই এখনও পড়া লাগে নি,ভাগ্যে থাকলে হয়ত লাগবে (এই রকম ভাগ্যটাও একটা ভাগ্য!!)
চ্যাপটার ২ - দ্যা নেচার অফ ক্যান্সার পড়ে মুগ্ধ হইছি। সহজবোধ্য, গুছানো রাইটিং ।
ক্যান্সার বায়োলজির বাইবেল বলে দেওয়া যায় চোখ বন্ধ করে।

[Darin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of THE most comprehensive books on cancer biology I have ever seen. I am extremely grateful to have received a review copy and I hope to integrate it into a course next year.

[Frankie · Rating 3 out of 5]

not so much an informative study book but rather a history book about cancer research half the time tbh

[Amir Shahmoradi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The text is written very fluently and clearly which makes it totally comprehensible to a scientist who has some elementary knowledge of biochemistry and evolutionary biology. However the content of each chapter is truly immense and overwhelming. This is specially true when the reader reaches chapters 5 and 6 where sub-cellular signaling pathways are discussed in much greater details. Overall, I believe it is a must-read for a researcher in the field of Oncology, although I think it won't serve as more than a rather-lengthy descriptive reference book throughout the researcher's career.

The discussion of signalling pathways also seems rather dispersed and not so coherent, although I am not sure if this is due to the author's writing style, or an inherent attribute and complexity of the topic.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

great cancer biology text. very thorough and well organized.

[Capri · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok shouut out robert weinberg. ok technically i didnt finish the last 2 chapters but dude this book is like a million pages. i personally loved this one becasue i was generally good in the class. i feel bad about my 2 star benjamin pierce review now. i want everyone to know though that I wrote a 3200 word paper with 32 sources (that i actually read) in 16 hours straight. it was on colon cancer. no i didnt use this book as a source but i just want everyone to know i got 100 percent on my paper and it raised my grade from an 89 to a 90.3. isnt that awesome??????? yes yes it is. i fucking love fecal occult blood tests shout out cancer bio for real. and also im the only one of my friends who got a 100 so i think it really was a merit based grade. i was askig people about how they cited their sources and all that and like 4 people told me they just put in random things. WHAT!!! i sat there. for hours. meticulously reading journal article after journal article . whatver i got 100!!

[Milli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend took a Biology of Cancer class. After my mom and I both had basal cell carcinomas removed, I decided it would be interesting to learn more, so I read this on my own. I've had my friends textbook for 7 years!! (I took a year off from reading this book when I was in the hospital with a staph infection) I definately learned interesting things. Most especially what a miracle life is given the multitude of things that could go wrong at the smallest level. I think science is not the enemy of religion. Science shows the miracles.

[Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful, but rather too basic, for my needs. The basic ideas, for me have been absorbed sometime ago, even if, the discipline has advanced, and the understanding of things like the hallmarks of cancer, have changed a little bit. Cancer, is something that I might revisit, since I have some interest, in biological in silico modelling, Dr. Randles work for example-

https://bme.duke.edu/faculty/amanda-r...

[adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read most of this book for my Biology of Cancer class and I think that it explained advanced concepts in a wonderful manner. Personally, I like when textbooks write out how one major concept is formed based on the experimental processes it took to get there, and this textbook surely did that. Additionally, I think it offered a comprehensive overview of the topics at hand. Lastly, I think that the chapter arrangement flowed perfectly.

[Brad Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. A thorough, up-to-date, and moderately challenging textbook that brings biology, chemistry, epidemiology, and medical disciplines together in one resource, highlighting the challenges and discoveries taking place in the oncological fields and progress we are making in treating the many (hundreds) manifestations of cancer.

[Liv Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most comprehensive cell biology books I've read.

[Bogdan Toma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top notch read, the cancer signaling poster that came along with it is really great too. Really hope there'll be a 3rd edition in store soon, with the advances in tumour biology this past decade.

[Adam Rajubally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decent book

Very informative

Would not recommend for kids

[Myrthe · Rating 4 out of 5]

learned a lot.

[Alexis Christine Ewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What else can you ask for from a textbook?

[Victoria]

Spent enough time on this book I should be able to put it here

[Ceycey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first three chapters of this book gave me unpleasant flashbacks to high school history class. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is not much better: it was just an amalgamation of scientific discoveries which almost never ended on a clear note or take-home message. Do yourself a favor and read something else if you want to study cancer.

[Terra Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly readable and well-illustrated summary of the state of the field (at least as it was when it was published). I highly recommend this for anyone working in cancer biology. Reading it cover to cover was exhausting and took me about a year, but I'll probably be revisiting it over and over again as a reference text from here on out. It really simplifies some of the most daunting concepts in cancer biology, and provides a lot of historical context to highlight the fact that our understanding of cancer is still in its infancy.

[Marit]

Very informational. I was able to have a more informed conversation with oncologist after reading, which helped tremendously to understand.

The more we know, hopefully the closer we can be to finally curing cancer. I have hope.

[DARACH O'CIOBHAIN · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most elegantly written elucidation on the myriad complexities of cancer and the human body

Wonderful English and despite not being medically trained I found it easy to understand and follow. Delighted I found it

[The Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a textbook, this book was extremely readable. I only wish it were slightly more concise. I do feel a lot more knowledgeable about cancer biology now though, and will continue to refer back to this magnum opus in the future.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not bad for something that's mandatory

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heheh. wish this one was a joke.

[Lalehrokh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love it! :) ..........Yes! I'm crazy!

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently written . Makes me eager to learn more every time I pick it up.

[Fan Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a few sections... great text but it's astonishing to think it only describes like 0.05% of what we know about cancer... and biology in general!

[Nour Mohamed]

thnx

[Sylvia Sylmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, accurate and inspiring!