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The Biology of Cancer The Biology of Cancer The Application of Biology to Cancer Nursing Edited by JANICE GABRIEL MPhil, PgD, BSc(Hons), RGN, FETC, ONC, Cert MHS Consultant Cancer Nurse, Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust/University of Southampton W WHURR PUBLISHERS LONDON AND PHILADELPHIA © 2004 Whurr Publishers First Published 2004 Whurr Publishers Ltd 19b Compton Terrace, London N1 2UN, England and 325 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA19106, USA All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Whurr Publishers Limited. This publication is sold subject to the conditions that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the Publisher’s prior consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed upon any subsequent purchaser. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 1 86156 434 1 Printed and bound in the UK by Athenaeum Press Limited, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear. Contents vii ix x xi Preface Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction Part I Understanding Cancer 1 Chapter 1 What is cancer? Janice Gabriel 3 Chapter 2 Predisposing factors to developing cancer Janice Gabriel 11 Chapter 3 Cancer: what does a diagnosis mean for an individual and what are the implications for society? Janice Gabriel 22 Part II The Science of Cancer 31 Chapter 4 The cell Louise Alice Knight 33 Chapter 5 What are DNA and RNA? Scott C. Edmunds 50 v vi The biology of cancer Chapter 6 Genetics and cancer Scott C. Edmunds 59 Chapter 7 The immune system Helmout Modjtahedi and Ailsa Clarke 74 Chapter 8 Tumour markers F. Guy Gabriel 96 Chapter 9 Monoclonal antibodies Helmout Modjtahedi 109 Part III From Research to Treatment 125 Chapter 10 What is translational oncology? Elaine Vickers 127 Chapter 11 The application of research methodology to cancer research Carmel Sheppard 136 Chapter 12 Research ethics relating to cancer David Carpenter 156 Glossary References Index 170 172 187 Preface The application of biology to the delivery of cancer care is playing an increasingly important role in the management of this group of diseases. Although there is a plethora of specialist cancer biology books, they are not aimed at nursing students and practising nurses. The aim of this book is to be an informative text for students, newly qualified nurses and practising oncology/palliative care nurses. It is also hoped that it will be a useful text for other healthcare professionals working in the field of cancer, so that the common questions asked by patients, and their families, can be answered with a clear understanding of the latest advancements in the management of an individual’s care. The aims and objectives of this book are: • To describe what cancer is, its disease processes and predisposing factors for certain types of malignant conditions. • To identify the composition of the cell and its functions. • To discuss the current research that is taking place relating to the biology of cancer. • To apply research to the management of an individual’s disease. • To summarize current Department of Health guidance applying to care of the individual with cancer. Janice Gabriel April 2004