What can we expect from the book Esophageal Cancer?
Editorial

What can we expect from the book Esophageal Cancer?

Wayne L. Hofstetter

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA

Correspondence to: Wayne L. Hofstetter, MD. Deputy Chair and Director of Esophageal Surgery and Research, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA. Email: WHofstetter@mdanderson.org.

Submitted Nov 07, 2015. Accepted for publication Nov 11, 2015.

doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2015.11.22


It is with pleasure that the editors and authors of this book present to our readers this AME volume on Esophageal Cancer. This book is a compilation of published articles, novel studies, original chapters and expert reviews on esophageal disease ranging from pre-cancer to advanced metastatic carcinoma (Figures 1,2).

Figure 1 The book Esophageal Cancer was officially launched in November 2015. For purchase, please go to: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Esophageal-cancer-/181922561756?ssPageName=STRK
Figure 2 Wayne L. Hofstetter, MD. Co-Editor of Esophageal Cancer.

This book has wide application, educating a range of clinician/scientists from novice to expert. Notably, the contributions are sourced to multiple different disciplines, reflecting the current thinking on multimodality therapy for this spectrum of esophageal disease. You will enjoy the perspective of radiologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, scientists, and surgeons to name a few. The importance of this diversity cannot be overstated. Acquiring real knowledge on esophageal cancer requires envisioning therapeutic options from experts who approach this disease from many different directions.

This volume of articles is different from many that you may have already experienced. What this book is not is an accumulation of obsolete opinion and data from old texts. Because the publishers have utilized recent peer-reviewed original scientific studies from their journals, the reader is assured an up-to-date experience with data that is cutting edge and relevant to current practice. This type of resource is invaluable as a guide to research, therapy, and education for both the clinician and scientist. These days with the world of knowledge at the tips of our fingers on the Internet, I fully expect to see patients acquiring this book and bringing it with them to my clinic visits, eager for interpretation, guidance, and therapy reflecting the top research in the world.

And this brings me to another exciting aspect of this publication; the international distribution of experts is unique and refreshing. This characteristic takes advantage of the best minds and thought-leaders worldwide, which eliminates any provincial bias to our education. This is truly reflective of how we interact in business and science globally. Breaking down barriers of distance and culture allows us to evolve all the more rapidly.

Highlighting the issues, unsolved mysteries, and controversies in esophageal cancer has been a lifetime pursuit; therefore I am very pleased at the scope and attention garnered by this book to a field that has been considered an orphan disease. I will say that I have personally enjoyed contributing to this book, and will keep it within arms reach on my desk as a valuable reserve. My congratulations and thanks go to the authors who contributed to this volume, and to those who worked diligently behind the scenes to accomplish this publication.


Acknowledgements

None.


Footnote

Conflicts of Interest: The author has no conflicts of interest to declare.

Cite this article as: Hofstetter WL. What can we expect from the book Esophageal Cancer? J Thorac Dis 2015;7(11):1880-1881. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2015.11.22

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