Science does not support the popular image of traces of chemical contamination elevating the cancer risk of everyone who lives in a neighborhood regardless of where they work, what sort of lives they lead, and what hereditary influences may predispose them to cancer. The absence of conclusive scientific evidence in this area may be partially explained by the myriad challenges that bedevil cancer cluster investigations--challenges that are explored in this report.

The Key Facts on Cancer provides readers with essential, easy-to-read information on the life-threatening disease. Compiled in a simplified manner, this guide helps patients navigate this painful process without enduring the complicated nature of medical terminology. By making a patient-friendly manual to the causes, treatment, and ongoing research of cancer, one can easily determine what they are facing and how to live their life to the fullest.

In the post-genomic era, a holistic understanding of biological systems and p- cesses,inalltheircomplexity,is criticalincomprehendingnature’schoreography of life. As a result, bioinformatics involving its two main disciplines, namely, the life sciences and the computational sciences, is fast becoming a very promising multidisciplinary research ?eld. With the ever-increasing application of lar- scalehigh-throughputtechnologies,suchasgeneorproteinmicroarraysandmass spectrometry methods, the enormous body of information is growing rapidly. Bioinformaticians are posed with a large number of di?cult problems to solve, arising not only due to the complexities in acquiring the molecular infor- tion but also due to the size and nature of the generated data sets and/or the limitations of the algorithms required for analyzing these data. Although the ?eld of bioinformatics is still in its embryonic stage, the recent advancements in computational and information-theoretic techniques are enabling us to c- ductvariousinsilicotestingandscreeningofmanylab-basedexperimentsbefore these are actually performed in vitro or in vivo. These in silico investigations are providing new insights for interpretation and establishing a new direction for a deeper understanding. Among the various advanced computational methods currently being applied to such studies, the pattern recognition techniques are mostly found to be at the core of the whole discovery process for apprehending the underlying biological knowledge. Thus, we can safely surmise that the - going bioinformatics revolution may, in future, inevitably play a major role in many aspects of medical practice and/or the discipline of life sciences.

This systematic review was undertaken to: (1) evaluate the accuracy of patient reporting of cancer family history; (2) identify and evaluate tools designed to capture cancer family history that are applicable to the primary care setting; and (3) identify and evaluate risk assessment tools (RATs) in promoting appropriate management of familial cancer risk in primary care settings. For family history tools (FHxTs) and RATs, studies were limited to those applicable to primary care settings. Conclusions: Informants reporting their cancer family history have greater accuracy for relatives free of cancer than those with cancer. Reporting accuracy may vary among different cancer types. Charts and tables.

Praise for Previous Editions: "This splendid book [...]is authoritative, well written, and ably edited." - Occupational & Environmental Medicine "The book provides a logical, structured exposition of a diverse multidisciplinary speciality, employing a language and format designed to educate the novice student and seasoned practitioner alike - a vital contribution to the field." - New England Journal of Medicine Occupational and environmental contributions to the occurrence of disease and injury represent a core component of public health and health care. Factors in the workplace and the ambient environment have significant impacts on individual and community health. Occupational and Environmental Health is a comprehensive, practical textbook for understanding how work and environment influence individual and population health. Comprising 40 chapters written by national and international experts, this book combines theory and practical insights to help readers effectively recognize and prevent occupational and environmental disease and injury.

This book provides an update on the latest development in the field of microRNAs in cancer research with an emphasis on translational research. Since the early 2000s, microRNAs have been recognized as important and ubiquitous regulators of gene expression. Soon it became evident that their deregulation can cause human diseases including cancer. This book focuses on the emerging opportunities for the application of microRNA research in clinical practice. In this context, computer models are presented that can help to identify novel biomarkers, e.g. in circulating microRNAs, and tools that can help to design microRNA-based therapeutic interventions. Other chapters evaluate the role of microRNAs in immunotherapy, immune responses and drug resistance. Covering key topics on microRNAs in cancer research this book is a valuable resource for both emerging and established microRNA researchers who want to explore the potential of microRNAs as therapeutic targets or co-adjuvants in cancer therapies.

In disease cluster communities across the country, environmental contamination from local industries is often suspected as a source of disease. But civic action is notoriously hampered by the slow response from government agencies to investigate the cause of disease and the complexities of risk assessment. In Risk and Adaptation in a Cancer Cluster Town, Laura Hart examines another understudied dimension of community inaction: the role of emotion and its relationship to community experiences of social belonging and inequality. Using a cancer cluster community in Northwest Ohio as a case study, Hart advances an approach to risk that grapples with the complexities of community belonging, disconnect, and disruption in the wake of suspected industrial pollution. Her research points to a fear driven not only by economic anxiety, but also by a fear of losing security within the community—a sort of pride that is not only about status, but connectedness. Hart reveals the importance of this social form of risk—the desire for belonging and the risk of not belonging—ultimately arguing that this is consequential to how people make judgements and respond to issues. Within this context where the imperative for self-protection is elusive, affected families experience psychosocial and practical conflicts as they adapt to cancer as a way of life. Considering a future where debates about risk and science will inevitably increase, Hart considers possibilities for the democratization of risk management and the need for transformative approaches to environmental justice.

Sleep has recently been recognized as a critical determinant of energy balance regulating, restoration and repair of many of the physiologic and psychologic processes involved in modulating energy intake and utilization. In addition to having an impact on obesity, sleep abnormalities, both quantitative and qualitative, have now been shown to have significant effects on obesity associated comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome, premalignant lesions and cancer. Sleep problems and fatigue also constitute a significant challenge for the ever expanding group of cancer survivors. Moreover, circadian misalignment, such as that experienced by "shift workers" has been shown to be associated with an increased incidence of several malignancies including, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer, consistent with the increasing recognition of the role of clock genes in the metabolic processes. Of increasing concern is the accelerating incidence of sleep disorders in childhood, their association with childhood obesity and associated abnormalities of circulating cytokines, adipokines and metabolic factors, many of which are implicated as etiologic mediators of the connection between obesity and cancer. Extensive studies have now been initiated to investigate the mechanisms by which disturbances in sleep duration, sleep continuity and sleep related breathing affect circadian rhythm, central and peripheral tissue oxygenation and metabolism, quality and quantity of dietary intake and circulating inflammatory cytokines and regulatory hormones. This volume aims to present the latest research on sleep, sleep disturbance and its correlation to obesity and cancer.