From its introduction, oncological chemotherapy has been encumbered by its poor selectivity because most antiproliferative drugs are toxic not only to tumor cells but also to important populations of the body's non-neoplastic cells. The resultant problems with unwanted side effects are compounded by difficulties in predicting the desired effectivity of chemotherapy in individual patients.

This unsatisfactory situation has driven intensive research and development towards more specific and less toxic anticancer drugs over the last few decades. Several results of these efforts have reached the clinic and an even greater number are now in preclinical testing.

Common to all these targeted therapies is their interaction with defined molecules present on cancer cells, which adds various degrees of increased selectivity to their toxic effects. As a consequence, detecting the target molecule on tumors before therapy holds great diagnostic potential for predicting the efficacy of the drug and personalizing therapy.

This book aims to present translational scientists and clinicians with an integrated critical view on the theories, mechanisms, problems and pitfalls of the targeted therapy approach.

Prediction of Tumor Behavior

Beyond Typing and Grading: Target Analysis in Individualized Therapy as a New Challenge for Tumour Pathology
Oncogenic Signaling Pathways and Deregulated Target Genes
Predictive Pathology of Cytostatic Drug Resistance and New Anti-cancer Targets
Prediction of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Carcinomas of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract
Resistance-Associated Signatures in Breast Cancer
Resistance to Chemotherapy in Ovarian Carcinoma
Clinical, Biological, and Molecular Aspects of Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer
Prediction of Efficacy and Side Effects of Chemotherapy in Colorectal Cancer
Proteomic Expression Profiling of Breast Cancer
Targeted Therapy and Clinical Applications
Targeted Therapy and Blood-Brain Barrier
Cetuximab: Appraisal of a Novel Drug Against Colorectal Cancer
C-kit, GIST, and Imatinib
Antibody Therapy in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: The Role of Rituximab, 90Y-Ibritumomab Tiuxetan, and Alemtuzumab
Molecular and Clinical Aspects of Proteasome Inhibition in the Treatment of Cancer
Individualized Target Therapy of Malignant Lymphomas: An Outlook
Antiangiogenesis, Anti-VEGF(R) and Outlook
Morphological Detection of Hormone and Growth Factor Receptors in Breast Cancer
Prospects for Development
Antigen-Specific Cancer Vaccines
Therapeutic Vaccination for the Treatment of Malignant Melanoma
Monoclonal and Recombinant Antibodies with T Cell Receptor-Like Reactivity
New Molecular Therapy Targets in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.