Basic Immunogenetics

IN recent years there has been rapid progress in the understanding of Hodgkin's disease and improvements in its treatment so that many patients can now be cured. This has not yet been reflected in the attitude of doctors who too often regard the disease with unjustified pessimism and too frequently give treatment which is merely palliative. This book is by one of the pioneers of the present day approach to Hodgkin's disease and its main themes are the importance of clinical assessment of the patient and the potential of adequate treatment to cure even widespread disease. However, the scope of the book is comprehensive and it deals with all aspects of Hodgkin's disease. There is a good account of its pathology with descriptions of it-i various histopathological patterns and discussion of their significance in prognosis and treatment. Patterns of dissemination of the disease are described and the importance of an awareness of these in the management of the patient is stressed. Other sections are concerned with the vital role of radiology and staging laparotomy in assessing the extent of the disease to deternmine the correct treatment. Modern megavoltage radiotherapy and combination chemotherapy are very fully described in other chapters. Each chapter deals with its subject exhaustively, discussing its development and giving many references. This is an excellent book which will surely become a standard text on Hodgkin's disease. It is written in a style which is extremely easily read, an unusual feature of books of this calibre. Dr. Kaplan is an advocate of the very thorough clinical investigation and aggressive treatment of patients with Hodgkin's disease and some of his views are still controversial. However, the evidence gathered from much clinical experience and the logical approach of this book will win him many disciples. This is a book for the specialist and should be read by pathologists, radiotherapists, radiologists and chemotherapists all members of the team which are nowadays intimately concerned in the diagnosis and treatment of Hodgkin's disease. J.H.R.