Book Review / Announcements

Sydney E. Salmona Clinics in Haematology, vol. 11, No. 1 Myeloma and Related Disorders Saunders, Eastbourne 1982 VII + 238 pp.; E 10.75, bound ISSN 0308-2261 Within the 238 pages of this very legible text the authors have presented a broad, yet concise review of the current concepts of myeloma in the clinic and in the laboratory. The clinician concerned with the treatment of myeloma patients is provided with guidelines in distinguishing between disease categories requiring systemic treatment, the localized and extramedullary plasmacytomas best treated locally and those with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) probably best not treated at all initially. The prognosis and therapeutic results to be expected for these various types of presentation are taken from the authors own experience and cooperative group studies. Insight into the future prospects of treatment are given not only for currently available cytostatic agents, but also for interferon as well as in vitro cloning and chemosensitivity. Such prospects are also hinted at in the chapter on immunoregulato-ry circuits in myeloma. Those seeking fundamental information regarding the pathogenic mechanisms involved in the frequent complications of this disease such as infection and humoral immunoinsufficiency, hypercalcemia, and renal insufficiency will be rewarded. The chapter on amyloidosis depicts this disease in its various forms as to clinical presentation, diagnosis, laboratory findings, and therapeutic possibilities. Last but not least, the chapter on plasma cell neoplasms and acute leukemia places the connection of these two entities in its proper perspective according to present-day knowledge and experience. The possible role of cytostatic treatment in this relationship, either direct or indirect, is discussed in detail. This book provides the student of this disease in any or all of its aspects with enjoyable and informa tive reading. The ample list of references with each chapter should more than satisfy all readers requir ing more detail. R. Sonntag, Bern Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 1-7, 1984 President: Prof. L.J. Bergna