This volume presents the evolution of the authors' ideas about estrogen action and its modulation by a new group of drugs called SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators). The pioneering SERMs — tamoxifen and raloxifene — are known to have saved the lives of millions of women around the world and improved the health of millions more. Estrogen is the central hormone of women's health and reproduction. The book is a journey through 40 years of discovery and success in advancing women's health, with the prospect of improved innovation through medicinal chemistry for the future.

The increasing awareness on the varied consequences of hypogonadism in distinct organs and systems has supported the notion of estrogens as systemic agents. This observation is congruent with the variety of tissues affected by - trogens when used in hormone therapy formulations on hypogonadic women. Apart from the genital tract and the breast, recognized as traditional targets for estrogens, the skeleton, the vascular tree, or the central nervous system, are good examples of territories that have demonstrated sensitivity to estrogens. This evidence has created great interest, as shown by the great amount of lit- ature that has been produced on the bene?ts and risks associated with the use of estrogens. In parallel to the clinical interest, basic research has improved our kno- edge on the complexities involved in estrogen action at the molecular level. Together with effects mediated through speci?c receptors, a concept that has been the mainstay of the interpretation of estrogen action for years, there is enough evidence to hold the notion of receptor-independent effects. The substantial advances in modern technology applied to research have helped in enlightening the particulars of this versatile action of estrogens. This more detailed knowledge on the sophisticated mechanism of action of estrogens has nourished the emergence of multiple hypotheses speculating with the p- sibility of manipulating estrogen action. The notion that a widely extended regulatory system of cell function, as it is the estrogen receptor machinery, might be modulated at wish has arisen as an attractive, although still elusive postulate.

Now in its Third Edition, this text clearly and concisely presents the physiological principles that are essential to clinical medicine. Outstanding pedagogical features include Active Learning Objectives that emphasize problem-solving applications of basic principles; conceptual diagrams that help students visualize complex processes; case studies, Clinical Focus boxes, and From Bench to Bedside boxes; a comprehensive glossary; and online USMLE-style questions with answers and explanations. This edition features a new Immunology and Organ Function chapter and a completely rewritten and reorganized cardiovascular section. A companion Website will include the fully searchable text, an interactive question bank, case studies with practice questions, animations of complex processes, an image bank, and links for further study.

Medical Physiology presents the physiological concepts essential to clinical medicine. Each chapter provides conceptual diagrams to facilitate comprehension of difficult concepts, and presents both normal and abnormal clinical conditions to illustrate how physiology serves as an important basis for diagnosis and treatment. Hallmark pedagogical features emphasize problem-solving skills and promote review and retention: Clinical Focus and From Bench to Bedside boxes, a comprehensive glossary, and online USMLE-style review questions with answers and explanations. Companion web site offers additional resources for students (question bank, animations, searchable text) and faculty (image and test banks, PowerPoint slides for use in class).

Experimental and clinical researchers from a wide range of disciplines present a wealth of fresh scientific information on the biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, and clinical activity of SERMs. The basic science chapters of the book focus-with an eye to the development of the ideal SERM-on the complex mechanisms of estrogen action, including ligand-dependent conformational changes in alpha and beta, and the recruitment of co-activators and co-repressors which modulate the estrogen receptor transcriptional activity and contribute to its crosstalk with growth factor signaling. The clinical presentation reviews the data accumulated on currently available SERMs, primarily tamoxifen and raloxifene, in cancer treatment and prevention, as well as their effects on the reproductive, vascular, skeletal, and central nervous systems. A tentative approach to menopause-related health issues is also provided for women with and without a previous diagnosis of localized breast cancer.

An overview of scientific information from a variety of perspectives that explore aspects of women's health and disease, including the fields of gynaecology, endocrinology, reproductive biology, molecular biology and genetics. There are 80 papers altogether.

You're not an existing ScienceDirect customer! Key Features * Covers all aspects of cancer, segueing from basic science to clinical topics * Includes an additional volume to incorporate all the new advances in the etiology, prevention, and treatment of cancer made since the first edition * Convenient organization employs standard entry format for quick and easy reference * Extensive cross-referencing provides reader with broader range of knowledge * Contributions solicited from among the top names in a variety of fields.