322 Book Reviews

Grundmann, E. (Ed.): MetastatIC Tumor Growth. (Cancer Campaign, Vol. 4). VIII, 362 pages with 146 figures and 89 tables. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart - New York 1980. Pb.

The bock IS a good proof for the fact that metastatic tumor growth IS a most complex process investigated by many cell researchers, ammal experimentlsts and climclans. It goes without saying that many different approaches are made and that expenmental setups are subject to many different Ideas on the process of metastatic and mvaslve tumor growth. The book gives an excellent survey on all above mentIOned aspects. It contains 23 chapters dealmg With experimen­tal and basIC research and 11 chapters devoted to climcal problems, diagnostIcs and therapy. All papers show a very high sCientifIC level. The layout of the book IS excellent and the pnce IS appropnate. It should be read by both theoretIcally and chmcally workmg physIcians.

The book leaves the somewhat dlscouragmg ImpreSSIOn that, despite many new findings m thiS complex field, metastatiC growth of malignant tumors stili IS a matter of fate and subject to the localisatIOn and the histology of the tumor. Detachment, spread and mdatlon of tumor cells In distant organ sites IS beyond the phYSICian's control and even m 1981 there seems to be no solutIOn to the problem

Johannessen, Jan Vmcents (Ed.): Electron Mtcroscopy In Human MedIcine. Vol. 2: Cellular Pathobtology MetabolIc and Storage DIseases. XV, 256 pages With numerous figures and tables. McGraw-HIli InternatIOnal Book Company, New York 1978. Ln.

In Its mltlal sectIOn entitled "Cellular PathoblOlogy" the second volume of "Electron MICros­copy m Human Medlcme" descnbes the morphology and functIOns of the different cell organelles and reports on pathological malformatIOns. ThiS volume proVides a detailed review of vanous pathomorphological changes m the subcellular structures. The author has faded, however, to outlme sufficiently the functIOnal role of organelle pathology, and the subject of bIOchemistry should have been treated more thoroughly. But this organelle pathology places the modern morphometric mvestlgatlons and all major SCientifiC data presently avatlable Into perspectIve.

The second part of the volume focusses on the ultrastructure of metabolIc diseases. The dasSlflcatlOn of the spectflc disorders IS based on bIOchemICal aspects and the diseases are diSCUS­sed both from the pathophYSIOlogICal and from the ultrastructural-pathologICal pOint of view. A more methodical revIew of the ultrastructural findings playmg a major role m diagnostics would have been helpful to the pathologist routinely mvolved In diagnostIc actiVIties. Nevertheless, thiS text presents Itself In readable and mformatIve fashIOn. The comprehenSive source of hterature proVides valuable references to anyone who wants to learn more about the symptom-onented approach of the respective climcal picture. Credit should be given both to the author and to the pubhsher for complementing the text With excellent t1lustratlOns.

ThiS book Will be of mterest to pathologists, paldopathologlsts as well as to baSIC researchers m biochemistry .

Donath, A. and Courvolsler, B. (Eds.). Bone and Tumors. (Third SymposIUm CEMO, Centre d'Etude des Maladies Osteo-artlculalres de Geneve, Basle, Switzerland, November 4-7, 1979). 248 pages With 99 figures and 44 tables. Hans Huber Verlag, Bern - Stuttgart - Vienna 1980. Kart.

Tumorous bone lesions mclude pnmary bone tumours and secondary growths such as metas­tases extended to the bone from soft tIssues. These leSIOns always show a local reactIOn of the

Book Revles 323

original bone tissue that can be seen both m the X-ray appearance and m the histological slides. Dunng the "Third SymposIUm CEMO" held m Basel (Switzerland) m November 1979, a great number of mternatlonally known sCientists discussed fundamental aspects of bone remodelling produced by a rumour cell havmg migrated mto the bony tissue, and the mfluence of vanous hormones on thiS bone remodellmg. Climcal aspects of bone metastases mcluded diagnostic and management problems and cases of pnmary bone tumours were presented. The prmclpal aim of thiS symposIUm was the establishment of a relatiOnShip between fundamental and climcal aspects of bone metastases.

This book reviews a total of 40 SCientific papers on thiS subject wntten by outstandmg speCial­IStS in thiS field who present different mvestlgatlons of the skeleton and the bony tissue under the mfluence of metastatic or pnmary tumour tissue. The contnbutlons mclude descnptlOns of bone remodellmg m the vlclmty of a mahgnant tumour, of the role of prostaglandms m bone remodel­hng mduced by tumours, of the mfluence of different hormones m metastatIC rumour tissue, of the natural history of bone metastases, hl,tomorphometnc studies as well as electron mICroscopIC mvestlgatlOns of skeletal changes produced by bone metastases and the detection of skeletal metastases m hospitalised patients Additionally, some unusual cases of pnmary and secondary rumours are presented. Several speCialists (surgeons, orthopedists, radIOlogists, pathologists) report their expenences With speCIfic bone tumours, and some papers are deahng With the treat­ment of tumorous bone leSIOns

ThiS book IS well-Illustrated by radiographs, histological pictures, diagrams and line drawmgs. Several tables and diagrams show the fmdmgs obtamed by expenments. On the whole, thiS book gives plenty mformatlOn on empmcal and expenmental re,ults showmg the reaction of the bone to tumorous growths. Although the text presents Itself m a rather pnmltlve pnntmg, the Illustra­tions are reproduced m a satisfactory manner glVlng the amount of mformatlOn needed. ThiS manual IS particularly valuable because of the new hndmgs published on pnmary and secondary bone tumours and because It emphaSizes the Importance of the reactIOn of the surroundmg bony tissue to functIOnal and structural changes seen m the radIOlogical and the histological appear­ance.

ThiS book IS useful as a reference source to clilllcians and pathologists mterested m bone rumours. The pnce of DM 53,- appears to be reasonable for thiS type of a standard book.

Gartner, HermIne-Valena. Membranous (Pen-, Ep'-, Extramembranous) GlomerulonephritIs. Prototype of an Immune Complex Glomerulonephrttls A Clmlcal MorphologIcal Study. (Verof­fenthchungen aus der Pathologle/Progress m Pathology. Heft 113). VIII, 136 pages With 35 figures and 27 tables. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Sruttgart - New York 1980. Kart.

ThiS book deals With a prototype of human Immunecomplex glomerulonephntls, I.e. penmem­branous glomerulonephntls (PGN). InvestigatIOns, based on a large senes of bIOpsy matenal (528 cases), were performed by USIng light and electron microscopy as well as Immunofluorescence and morphometnc methods. Additionally, the author has trIed to elaborate a comparative climcal portrait of the IndlVldual forms of PGN and to give, m particular, compansons of the Idiopathic forms of PGN and the post-medicamentous types of the disease. The question IS raised as to whether or not additional morphological changes may Influence the course and prognosIs of the disease. Fmally, In the case of non-IdiopathIC cases of PGN, the pOSSible nature of the IndUCIng antigens was examIned to c1anfy the pathogenetic mechalllsm, and both chlllcal and morphologi­cal fIndmgs were correlated.

BegInlllng With a short demonstration of matenal and methods used, subsequent chapters diSCUSS IdIOpathiC PGN and non-IdIOpathIC PGN. SectIOns are also Included on post-medlcament-