Foreword – Oncology & Hematology Review, 2012;8(1):10

This issue of Oncology & Hematology Review presents a variety of topics sure to be of practical use to our readers. We are pleased to offer a range of subjects that are relevant to the practice of hematology and oncology. To start, one will find an update of medical ethics in the setting of gynecologic oncology. The issue continues with a series of articles and reviews regarding a breadth of solid tumors, then closes with hematologic malignancies and pediatric oncology.

This issue of Oncology & Hematology Review presents a variety of topics sure to be of practical use to our readers. We are pleased to offer a range of subjects that are relevant to the practice of hematology and oncology. To start, one will find an update of medical ethics in the setting of gynecologic oncology. The issue continues with a series of articles and reviews regarding a breadth of solid tumors, then closes with hematologic malignancies and pediatric oncology.
Ethics is of particular concern to practicing oncologists and hematologists. Recent topics on the forefront include: allocation of limited and/or expensive resources, death and dying in the era of increasingly sophisticated life-sustaining technology, and skills needed to interact with families and patients during times of great stress. Beyond the basic principles of beneficence, autonomy, and justice lies the more nuanced application of these ideals in the setting of patient-specific situations. Professor Gallagher illustrates this with a case.
Regarding the treatment of solid tumors, several themes predominate, including multimodality care of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies and soft tissue cancers, and molecular as well as focused radiotherapy for gynaecological, GI, and breast cancers. In particular, these last two approaches aim to both increase efficacy and reduce toxicity by minimizing bystander effect. Multimodality approaches, ubiquitous in solid tumor oncology, aim to maximize both loco-regional and systemic control.
Roberge and Pocinho present their experience with targeted radiotherapy, otherwise known as stereotactic body radiation. Their goal is to eliminate colorectal cancer liver metastases non-invasively. Additional approaches are outlined for basal-like breast, cervical and vaginal cancers.
Several updates on multimodality care for GI malignancies are also presented. Fernández-Martos and colleages evaluate the use of induction chemotherapy in advance of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for rectal cancer. For retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma, Gronchi and colleagues report their experience with pre-operative CRT.
Two articles about hematologic malignancies follow. Flowers and colleagues tie together the complicated and diverse spectrum of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Following this, Porrata et al. review the advantages and pitfalls of the complete blood count in prognosis. Completing this issue is a discussion of sleep concerns in the setting of pediatric sickle cell disease.
Oncology & Hematology Review is pleased to offer you this issue. We are grateful to the authors, editors, and staff who worked to create such an outstanding offering. In addition, we wish to thank all organizations and media partners for their ongoing support. The Editorial Board is also thanked for its continued involvement. Enjoy and learn from our journal! ■