Tavassoli FA, Devilee P: Pathology and Genetics: Tumours of the Breast and Female Genital Organs. WHO Classification of Tumours series - volume IV. Lyon, France: IARC Press

Andrew M Hanby,Clare Walker

doi:10.1186/bcr788

Abstract

As with all members of the WHO Classification of Tumours series, this book is well presented and represents exceedingly good value for money. In general the quality of production is good, with the photography of high to very high quality with good illustrations and colour balance. Plentiful micro and macroscopic pictures are presented, the latter being particularly helpful in the sections dealing with gynaecological lesions. Unfortunately, in some cases the illustrations are poor, for example fig 1.105c is out of focus or too small, fig 184, which is stated to show ADH, is of too low power to serve any useful purpose. The text offers a well-organised and comprehensive review of breast and gynaecological tumours. In particular, this volume deserves a lot of praise for its synthesis of taxonomy with molecular pathology and probably gives to date the best ready reckoner for molecular and cytogenetic alterations in breast and gynaecological cancer within a pathology textbook. This synthesis could have been taken further, for example in the breast section no reference to the work relating HER2 amplification with epidermotro

Highlights

Like all such books there was clear evidence that this text had been written by a committee and in several places the opportunity for reaching a consensus view on some important issues was lost
On the other hand I am glad to see that a cautious approach to the premature concept of lobular intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN) and ductal intralobular neoplasia (DIN) was adopted
The concept is, in theory, attractive but until the various and probably multiple lines of breast cancer evolution are more clearly identified, this concept must remain in cold storage

Summary

Introduction

Like all such books there was clear evidence that this text had been written by a committee and in several places the opportunity for reaching a consensus view on some important issues was lost. The text offers a well-organised and comprehensive review of breast and gynaecological tumours. This volume deserves a lot of praise for its synthesis of taxonomy with molecular pathology and probably gives to date the best ready reckoner for molecular and cytogenetic alterations in breast and gynaecological cancer within a pathology textbook.

Results

Conclusion