In the last 15–20 years, there have been important advances made in the treatment of colorectal cancer that have tremendously improved patient prognosis. These developments are continuously evolving, and it is fundamental for the specialists involved (surgeons, oncologists, gastroenterologists, pathologists, etc.) to understand them fully. This book, directed by Dr. Vaccaro, is an excellent tool for updating our knowledge and understanding.
The book is structured into 22 chapters, with the participation of authors from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, USA, Spain, Netherlands and Japan, all of whom are experts in the field. The translation of the texts into Spanish is excellent, with the use of non-rhetorical scientific language that makes for fluid reading, even in spite of the dense scientific content. The color illustrations are very appropriate, and in each chapter there is a final “highlighted concepts” section that summarizes the content, especially the related evidence. In addition to the text, the book has 12 videos with staging images and surgical techniques that are quite useful for completing this update.
As for the content of the chapters, 12 chapters refer to colon as well as rectal cancer (Epidemiology and Prevention; Treatment of Malignant Polyps; Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery; Robotic Surgery; Long-term Results and Follow-up; Treatment of Liver Metastases; Peritoneal Carcinomatosis: cytoreduction and hyperthermic chemotherapy; Lynch Syndrome and Familial Colorectal Cancer Type X; Hereditary Polyposis Syndromes; Carcinogenesis and Molecular Diagnosis; Optimal Postoperative Recovery, and Clinical Management of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer). Another 8 chapters deal exclusively with rectal cancer (Preoperative Staging; Surgical Treatment; Laparoscopic Approach; Lateral Lymphadenectomy; Multimodal Treatment: the radiotherapist's view; Complete Clinical Response: experience with the WATCH & WAIT protocol; Anatomic Pathology Evaluation of Mesorectal Resection; and Treatment of Pelvic Recurrence). Only one chapter deals with colon cancer alone (Laparoscopic Approach), and then there is the last, very interesting chapter (Comments by the Editor), in which Dr. Vaccaro comments on his personal viewpoint about more controversial aspects.
In short, this book is an example of a “job well done” that will be a reference for all professionals treating colorectal cancer and will contribute to improving the quality of life and life expectancy of these patients.
My congratulations and acknowledgement to all the participating authors, especially to Dr. Vaccaro for the added effort involved in editing this type of project.
Please cite this article as: Paricio PP. Enfoque multidisciplinario del cáncer colorrectal. Carlos A. Vaccaro. Ediciones Journal. ISBN: 978-987-1259-92-2. Cir Esp. 2014;92:703.
