Tumors at a Glance Book

As said by a classical text book on Pathology, "Tumours don't read text books of Pathology." The statement more than anything explains the bizarre nature of tumours. For centuries tumours were an enigma - difficult to comprehend, taxing to diagnose and challenging to treat. Everyone had been perplexed when encountered with the tumours. The common man finds it hard to come to terms that he (or some one known to him) has a tumour. The practicing clinician faces the problem whether to order a diagnostic test and when to ask for that. And then he has to explain the result to the patient. While is it understandable that not many can be expected to comprehend that he has a cancer, the problem is with a certain group of patients who are very upset when told that they have nothing. (They seem to feel that the investigation was a waste of money) If the myriad world of neoplasia perplexes every one, how will the hapless pseudopg or entrance employee escape from having to face the baffling subject. Questions from Neoplasia (Or Oncology) are now being increasingly asked in objective type competitive pre-PG medical entrance exams. Analysing the trend in the past few years, we can see for ourselves that questions regarding tumours comprise no less than 5 per cent of the total questions in an exam and in few cases we have even had about 10 per cent of the total questions from Onclogy For the long time the questions from Neoplasia (as the other questions) were simple and straightforward. The question setter was contended if the student knew that Lymphoma Seminoma and Melanoma were malignant and Granulomas and Choriostomas were not tumours at all. The fact the HPV causes Ca. Cervix and that Wilms Tumour had V Stages (compared to most other tumours that have only IV Stages) was considered to be a deciding question (for which just a handful knew the answers). But, that era, unfortunately is now gone. Questions from Oncology, nowadays, are much complex and text to test the student's grasp of the subject. This is probably due to the fact that this topics has now a lot of new inventions as well as discoveries and that lot of pages are spared for these topics in the standard text book. Questions from Oncology will come from Pathology, ENT, Ophthal (though it is limited to Retinoblastoma and Melanoma for our exams), Medicine, Paediatrics, Surgery, Orthopaedics, Obstetrice (Vesicular Mole), Gynaecology and Even dermatology (though this overlaps with Surgery). But, the PG Aspirant cannot be expected to master "Devitta Oxford Textbooks" and Harrison and Bailey to answer these questions for the simple reason that the time available for preparation for a competitive exam is "too little." In this context, a book on neoplasias become a boon to a PG Aspirant who often does not know what to read and what to "ignore" and which book to read. Vishal Jain's "Tumours at a Glance", published by Peepee Publishers and Distributors (P) Ltd, ISBN 81-88867-16-0 and priced at Rs 150, can be a perfect companion during PG preparation days. The Author is MD Student in the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The book starts with the general considerations in which the author gives a "brief" idea about the genetic damage. Though most of the basics and the latest facts are covered, the Normal Cell cycle is conspicuous by its absence. Topics on Tumour Vaccines and Tumour Markers follow next. The author's attempt to present details about the samples (Blood for PSA, Urine for BTA - Bladder Tumour antigen and Tissue for ER - Estrogen Receptor) is praiseworthy. Drugs commonly used (as well as those commonly asked) are discussed then. Here again few tabular columns would have been much impressive. After all, Tabular columns are the ones needed in the final revision. May be Vishal wanted us readers to also do some work so that we learn much better. It includes an entire chapter on Cancer Pain and Management and another chapters on Oncological Emergencies including the Superior Vena Cava Syndrome.Read More