S. G. Silverberg (Ed) : Principles and Practice of Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology. Churchill Livingstone
S. G. Silverberg (Ed) : Principles and Practice of Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology. Churchill Livingstone
S. G. Silverberg (Ed) : Principles and Practice of Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology. Churchill Livingstone
S. G. Silverberg (ed): Principles and Practice of Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology. Churchill Livingstone
1997 (3036 pages), £335. ISBN 0-443-07541-7.
Surgical pathology is the American definition of the the other hand, the description of the pathology of
discipline dealing with the anatomical pathology of pouchitis and diversion colitis are up-to-date. For the
tissues removed from living patients. Cytology is colorectal surgeon it is not a useful hand-book as, for
usually also included nowadays. In addition to surgical instance, colorectal cancer has been given only four
and biopsy specimens the speciality also includes pages together with another two pages about cancer in
specimens from dermatologists, gynaecologists, gas- inflammatory bowel disease (in comparison the space
troenterologists, physicians, and several other special- given to carcinoid tumours of the gastrointestinal tract
ties. For the Scandinavian readers the traditional range is 11 pages). Local peritoneal involvement, which is
of classic pathology and cytology is covered. the most powerful independent prognostic variable in
This is the third edition comprising three volumes colonic cancer, is not mentioned at all. It is also
with 62 chapters and 3036 pages written by an inter- surprising that rectal cancer is not described separately.
national group of experts. In most chapters traditional Transverse sections of the rectum and the mesorectum
anatomical pathology and cytology of the single organ are not mentioned at all. Accordingly the most impor-
or system are integrated. In general the text is straight- tant prognostic predictor of local recurrence and death
forward and easy to read. It is interrupted by frequent is missing—that is, tumour growth at the mesorectal
subheadings, making it easy to find specific parts that margin.
one is interested in quickly. An outstanding feature are For clinicians this textbook belongs to the reference
the numerous illustrations which are of extremely high library and it is not particularly useful to individual
quality. surgeons. However, it has a place in the library of
Descriptions of pathophysiology differ substantially surgical and several other departments.
between various chapters. For example nothing is said
about the importance of genetic mutations in the Rune Sjödahl
development and prognosis of colorectal cancer. On Linköping, Sweden