Publisher's Synopsis
The year 1987 witnessed further steps in the transition from conventional chemotherapy to biological compounds for the treatment of cancer. The possibilities of the CSFs as well as the related interleukins (IL-1 and IL-3) are discussed in detail in this edition of the Annual, and represent a landmark in that the major limiting toxicity of conventional chemotherapy, myelosuppression, may become controllable and avoidable. Monoclonal antibodies and growth factor-related strategies are discussed in detail in the sections on biologicals (Chapters 28-34) and Steroid and Peptide hormones and growth factors (Chapter 11). Highlighting the progress in the understanding and clinical application of biologicals is not intended to minimize the substantial progress made in the past year in conventional chemotherapy, - including expanding indications for, and improved results of therapy with, VP-16. Considerable progress has been made in understanding MDR-1 at the biological and clinical levels in the past year (Chapter 9), whilst attention must also be drawn to the drug-related chapters providing important new information.
