RE Bristow, BY Karlan, editors. Surgery for Ovarian Cancer. Principles and Practice. 426 pages. London, New York: Taylor & Francis, 2006. ISBN 1–84214–165–1. Price: Hardback $299.95. This book comprises 426 pages, divided into 14 chapters. It is a multiauthor book with two contributing authors and, in the usual manner, there are overlaps and indications of different approaches or opinions, which are stimulating. The aim of the editor, as outlined in the preface, is that “… yet no single work has been devoted exclusively to the rational and effective operative management of ovarian cancer. The authors have attempted to fill this void with a text that emphasizes the practical applicability of important procedures.” The book is divided into different chapters, the first chapter covering anatomy and a very informative description of the epidemiology, staging, classifications, and clinical characteristics of ovarian cancer. In the chapter regarding preoperative preparation and surgical instrumentation there is good didactic advice, which is very helpful for the practicing clinician. This section contains an excellent résumé of the retractors, electrosurgical unit, argon beam coagulator, and stapling devices. The third chapter deals with the management of early-stage ovarian cancer. The sections initially discuss the rationale for surgical staging, then thoroughly describe the surgical staging technique, dealing with borderline tumors and fertility preservation in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. For the surgeon, a knowledge of the surgical techniques and their clinical applications described in this chapter are essential for the management of patients with early ovarian cancer. Chapters 4–9 deal with cytoreductive surgery in advanced stage. The majority of the text is devoted to the technical aspects of cytoreductive surgery and the chapters are divided according to anatomic regions and include the relevant anatomical considerations, the surgical challenges specific to each region, and the operative approaches and techniques favored by the authors. The cytoreductive procedure outlined in Chapters 4–7, including the retroperitoneal approach of radical oophorectomy, resection of the para-aortic lymph nodes, and cytoreductive surgery of the intestinal tract, will facilitate extirpation of extensive malign disease in the vast majority of patients with ovarian cancer. Chapters 8 and 9 deal with cytoreductive surgery in upper abdomen, covering anatomy and a very informative description of the surgical procedures, including hepatic mobilization, diaphragm peritonectomy, hepatic resection, omentectomy with en bloc resection of the transverse colon, splenectomy, diaphragmatic resection, partial gastrectomy, and postoperative management and complications. Optimal cytoreduction in a patient with right or left upper abdomen disease requires a comprehensive understanding of the regional anatomy and a thorough knowledge of the relevant surgical procedures. Both aspects are excellently described in the book and the final section comprehensively covers the problems of complications. The Authors also stress the importance of sound surgical judgment, which must be exercised to ensure the optimal end result of the surgery. Chapters 10–14 deal with second-look surgery, laparoscopy, secondary cytoreduction, palliative surgery, and postoperative management. In the chapter regarding laparoscopy there is good didactic advice, which is very helpful for the practicing clinician to ensure appropriate case selection and optimization of patient outcome. The excellent chapter on palliative surgery deals not only with different aspects of surgery but even the most important question of careful assessment of the potential benefits and serious risks of surgical intervention. All relevant information about individual topics cannot be expected from any single source, including textbooks. However, the book does provide information on most topics that are likely to be confronted by surgeons. It is clearly an excellent starting point, with up-to-date chapters written by appropriate experts, providing many references for further reading. This book is a valuable reference for any surgeon whose practice includes ovarian cancer surgery. This would be an excellent textbook for first referral for the library of a surgical gynecologic oncology unit, which needs to be accessible 24 h a day rather than being locked up in a hospital library.