HEMATOLOGICAL ONCOLOGYHematol. Oncol. 17: 84 (1999)

CCC 0278–0232/99/020084–01Copyright ? 1999 John Wile

BOOK REVIEW

W’ C H, Vol. 1 2.G. Richard Lee, John Foerster, John Lukens,Frixos Paraskevas, John P. Greer and George M.Rodgers (Eds). Williams & Wilkins. 1998. Price:£120.00. ISBN: 0 683 18242 0

The 10th edition of this classic North Americantextbook of clinical hematology encompasses con-tributions from 85 authors. Sensibly it is presentedin two Volumes and at 2800 pages it probablyrepresents the limit of information that can bepresented in a textbook format. The first 900pages are devoted to general descriptions of labo-ratory hematology and the normal function ofblood cells and the hemostatic process. There areexcellent chapters on clinical flow cytometry andcluster of differentiation (CD) terminology. Asone would expect, cytogenetics and molecularhematology are also described in depth. The func-tion of the immune system is also covered inconsiderable detail. There are excellent generalreviews of immunotherapy and gene therapeuticapproaches, the chapter on Hemopoietic StemCell Transplantation is, however, rather brief fora textbook of this size.

Specific chapters follow on all the major groupsof hematological malignancies. The reviews aregenerally thorough and extremely well referenced.However, one weakness of multi-author textbooksof this size is that recent advances have inevitablybeen omitted with referencing ceasing in 1996.Thus, the chapter on Hodgkin’s disease does notdiscuss the use of the Stanford V approach inthe treatment of advanced Hodgkin’s disease. Innon-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, significant recentadvances, including the use of monoclonal anti-CD20 antibodies for therapy of low grade diseaseare also missing. In a description of unrelateddonor transplantation for chronic myeloid leuke-mia, recent evidence describing the importance ofdonor/recipient molecular matching for Class Iand Class II MHC loci is not covered in detail. Inthe chapter on Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,there is only a very brief discussion on the signifi-

$17.50y & Sons, Ltd.

cance of minimal residual disease detection, again,recent important evidence from the BFM group isnot described.

Other reservations include the rather patchyquality of the illustrations and diagrams. Many ofthe photomicrographs are in black and white andnot always easy to interpret. Colour plates ofclinical pictures, cell morphology and radiologyare included at the front of each volume. Again,however, the quality is variable and not generallyof the standard one would expect in 1999. Forease of reference, it would be preferable for colourplates to be included in the appropriate chaptersbut this may add to the cost of the textbookoverall.

Generally, Wintrobe’s represents a comprehen-sive review of haematology and at £120·00 isextremely good value. One does, however, wonderwhether there will continue to be a future for suchlarge speciality textbooks. It would seem unlikelythat editions could be updated more than twice inany decade which when added to the inevitabledelay between writing and publishing, means thatthese books soon become out of date. With thebirth of speciality review journals and a mush-rooming of information available on the Internet,the future of Wintrobe’s and its major competi-tors may be under serious threat. As a completeand convenient source of information, however,Wintrobe’s deserves a place on the bookshelves ofmost practising hemato-oncologists.

The final chapters deal with normal blood andbone marrow parameters in humans and also achapter on comparative haematology. Howquickly could you find a reference range for a fullblood count on a Mongolian gerbil from theInternet? Wintrobe’s provides an answer on page2750!

M PDepartment of Haematology & Bone Marrow

Transplantation, Royal Free Hospital,London,

U.K.