Practical application of determinants of cell behaviour.
During the last fifteen years there has been considerable innovation and development of techniques which can be used to study cell biology and behaviour. These include immunocytochemistry, monoclonal antibody technology, molecular biology and biomedical engineering resulting in advanced flow and image cytometric systems. The volume of research results emerging from basic scientists, pathologists and clinicians relative to these techniques is ever increasing. This generation of data demonstrates the immense interest in the potential of these methods to provide useful information of biological and clinical importance. Breast cancer is one area that has received such attention because of its frequency in western countries and its exhibition of a wide spectrum of clinical behaviour. An acceptance that conservation techniques of surgery and radiotherapy are safe alternatives to mastectomy and developments of chemotherapeutic schedules have now provided the patient, surgeon and oncologist with realistic choices of treatment. The question now being asked by many groups is whether this choice can be influenced appropriately by a knowledge of molecular processes which are present, or that have occurred, and which may influence the tumour cell.
Department of Histopathology, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK.
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D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002453:Cell Cycle; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D006133:Growth Substances