Leukemia [antikvár]

Preface It is nearly a quarter century since the first edition of Leukemia appeared. At that time leukemia was always a death sentence, in children as well as adults. Huge gaps existed in the basic knowledge of normal blood cells and their pathologically perverted forms, and hematologic techniques, both for routine investigations and research, were relatively undeveloped. The lymphocyte was still a mystery, its life cycle and functions little better understood than in the times of William Hewson. The human chromosome complement stood officially at 48. Subsequent editions oi Leukemia have chronicled the remarkable advances that have occurred since then; this edition continues that account. Because of the vast burgeoning of work being done on so many aspects of the leukemia problem—and a problem it remains—it has become increasingly difficult for a few individuals to give an account that is intelligible to nonspecialists as well as those with a special interest in the disease. The decision to convert Leukemia into a multiauthor production, with leading workers from the United States, Europe, and Australia writing chapters on their own special subjects therefore became inescapable. The editors owe a profound debt of gratitude to all those who have contributed so willingly to the common task. William Dameshek, the original senior author of this work, set its tone by stressing, in the first Preface, that it was neither an encyclopedia nor a textbook but a monograph for those, especially internists, pediatricians and pathologists, wishing to know more about leukemia as a whole. This aim of making the book more readable rather than merely a source for consultation was maintained under the coeditorship of Albert Baikie, whose untimely death occurred soon after the publication of the third edition. The current editors have tried their best to continue in this tradition. Compared with previous editions, the book has been almost completely rewritten. Changes have also been made in the selection of subjects and in emphasis. For example, general chapters on the lympho- and immunoproliferative disorders have been omitted, but newly recognized conditions such as hairy cell leukemia are extensively discussed. Increased scope has been given to work in areas such as immunology and clonality of leukemia where rapid progress has recently occurred. The morphology of leukemic cells and its perhaps surprisingly rediscovered prognostic significance receive more detailed attention. Although advances are reported from many fields and much has changed and xxl