Preface
1. The origin of cancer, Evan Y. Yu and William C. Hahn
2. The pathology of thyroid cancer; Sylvia L. Asa
3. Thyroid lymphomas; Runjan Chetty
4. Molecular events in follicular thyroid tumors; Todd G. Kroll
5. Molecular epidemiology of thyroid cancer; Martin Schlumberger
6. Growth factors and their receptors in the genesis and treatment of thyroid cancer; Shereen Ezzat
7. Biology of Ras in thyroid cells; Judy L. Meinkoth
8. P53 and other cell cycle regulators; Nadir R. Farid
9. Abnormalities of nuclear receptors in thyroid cancer; Sheue-Yann Cheng
10. Matrix metalloproteinases in thyroid cancer; Yufei Shi and Minjing Zou
11. The molecular pathways induced by radiation and leading to thyroid carcinogenesis; Yuri E. Nikiforov
12. TRK oncogenes in papillary thyroid carcinoma; Angela Greco, Emanuela Roccato and Marco A. Pierotti
13. Thyroidal iodide transport and thyroid cancer; Orsolya Dohán and Nancy Carrasco
14. Molecular signaling in thyroid cancer; Nicholas J. Sarlis and Salvatore Benvenga
15. Gene expression in thyroid tumors; Laszlo Puskas and Nadir R. Farid
16. Animal models of thyroid carcinogenesis; Carsten Boltze
17. Diagnostic molecular markers in thyroid cancer; Matthew D. Ringel
18. Thyroid cancer imaging; T.T.H. Phan, P.L. Jager, K.M. van Tol, T.P. Links
19. Past, presence and future of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) superactive analogs; Mariusz W. Szkudlinski
20. Pathobiology of antineoplastic therapy in undifferentiated thyroid cancer; Kenneth B. Ain
21. Gene therapy for thyroid cancer; Yuji Nagayama
22. Familial papillary thyroid carcinoma; Carl D. Malchoff and Diana M. Malchoff
23. RET activation in medullary carcinomas; Marco A. Pierotti, Elena Arighi, Debora Degl¿Innocenti and Maria Grazia Borrello 24. From genes to decisions; Lois M. Mulligan

Thyroid cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the U.S., especially among women. Given the relative success we have had in its treatment, there is a need to capitalize on it by better understanding the factors that underpin this malignancy, and exploring better strategies for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. To do so, we must take full advantage of the revolution in modern biology. This comprehensive volume addresses the needs of a broad readership. Against a backdrop of the complexity of the origins of cancer, pathology of thyroid tumors, including lymphomas, is discussed, as are molecular genetic lesions associated with spontaneous and radiation-related thyroid tumors, diagnostic tests available to surmise tumor subtypes (including a review of the potential of DNA micro arrays), advances in therapeutics (including recombinant hTSH superagonists, allowing for better treatment of well differentiated thyroid carcinoma and its imaging), and combinations of drugs that might influence the course of poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancer. In this book, we glimpse into the promise of gene therapy in the future management of otherwise lethal anaplastic and poorly differentiated thyroid tumors. The molecular genetics of medullary thyroid cancer is considered in depth, and malignancy is used as a showcase for genetic prediction and counseling.