This book is a comprehensive study of the breast, ranging from normalcy to pathology, more than three quarters of it being devoted to breast carcinoma. It presents an overview of the detection, management and treatment of breast diseases, and a significant part of it deals with the psychological management of breast cancer. Starting with anatomical and clinical aspects of breast disorders throughout the centuries, it then deals with the screening, diagnosis, and treatment modalities at the various ages of female life, in nearly one hundred up-to-date papers. In addition to the common description of breast cancer, the reader will find a mine of information on the updating of various forms of hormonal treatments, the rare forms of cancer, and the genetic and psychological aspects of neoplastic breast disorders. The pathology of benign and functional breast disorders is also addressed. This book is unquestionably a major contribution in a fast-evolving field with regard to both diagnosis and treatment modalities.

The high incidence of breast cancer in the Western world has entailed intense efforts in fundamental clinical research. By revealing the genes involved, molecular genetics allows new advances in therapeutics. At the same time, multipurpose clinical assays have made it possible to gather a bulk of information on the modalities of early detection and treatment, including conservative surgery and systemic radiotherapy treatments, which are better tolerated.

This book was coordinated by Marc Espié, current director of the Breast Disease Center, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France and André Gorins, former Director. It was written by over 90 international authors, all of whom are specialists in breast cancer prevention and treatment, including physicians, radiologists, and radiotherapists.

MARC ESPIÉ is the current director of the Breast Disease Center, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.

ANDRÉ GORINS iS the former director of the Breast Disease Center, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France.