Anticancer Drug Development: Preclinical Screening, Clinical Trials and Approval

This book provides a very comprehensive overview of in vitro and in vivo screening methodologies and toxicology, together with clinical trials design.As a medicinal chemist who has encountered many of the in vitro assays and some of the in vivo assays described, this volume provides a fascinating rare, global view of this vast subject.The book is divided into four sections: in vitro methods, in vivo methods, nonclinical testing (toxicology) and clinical testing.Separate chapters with mostly different authors contribute to each chapter.A welcome feature is the supply of an e-book with the printed volume, especially useful given the size and weight of the conventional volume.Two IT personnel, 1 h, a new copy of Acrobat reader 6 and the e-book sat easy to access on my laptop.Simple search functions are available in this program, but no Boolean logic with the free version.The general presentation of the book is poor, with the figures probably published as presented by the authors.There is no use of colour at all, sorely missed in those sections including histology.There is no glossary, a key omission if the book is intended for a wider audience.Fortunately, there is an index.The book has the feel of a conference proceedings rather than a quality textbook or monograph.These misgivings aside, the volume is bursting with useful information for the career professional and the interested scientist.For such a comprehensive treatise, I can only select a few highlights.Chapter 2 on high-throughput screening contributed by Bioclair and colleagues is an easy-to-follow guide to the latest state of the art in this area.Chapter 6 on the use of solid tumour model in rodents for tumour screening by Corbett and colleagues was for me the highlight of the book, providing an exceptionally clear and well-written guide to this vital area.The examples on how to conduct an in vivo assay (and more to the point how not to) should be required for reading for professionals in this area.