The editors of this second edition have created a series of detailed reviews of recent advances in lung cancer. Each chapter presents a succinct review of a relevant topic with a detailed and very useful reference list. There are chapters dealing with susceptibility and predisposition to lung cancer and clinical evaluation. Several chapters are devoted to recent advances in therapy, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and combination therapy. Newer methods of detection are discussed in two chapters and finally novel experimental approaches to the treatment of lung cancer are discussed in three chapters. Most of the chapters are predominantly text with limited use of tables, graphics and images. However, each of the chapters is written in a succinct way that makes for easy reading.

This would be a useful text to bring one up to date with recent advances. In the preface the editors state that they “hope that this book will provide a succinct and timely summary of recent advances and new research in the field of lung cancer”. They have fulfilled this aim admirably. —DB