Foreword

Carcinoma of the lung is the leading cause of cancer deaths. The management of lung cancer involved a questionnaire prior to treatment. It contains questions asked when taking a medical history, when forming a differential diagnosis, when choosing treatment, when performing an operation and when planning a postoperative treatment. Physicians who worked on lung cancer, regardless of speciality, are constantly confronted with questions posed from patients, from their collegues and, most importantly, from within themselves.

These considerations are behind developing a new textbook of this nature and caused the motivation. The book edited by Prof. Balci provides a broad overview of the lung cancer surgery, clinical and molecular aspects and pathology of it.

This textbook is a good resource to pulmonary and critical care specialist and their trainees, as well as thoracic surgeons, oncologists, and pulmonary pathologists. Major objectives are to present a summation of the current knowledge and clinical concepts of the surgical management of lung cancer. The pathophysiological alterations produced and the correction of these by appropriate intervention are emphasized thorughout. Clinical features, pathological changes, surgical management, operative results and prognosis are included as integral part of the book.

We are most grateful to the numerous authors who put so many times into writing otustanding chapters. This book includes all the relevant and current information on lung cancer. Much information is completely updated. Although we believe that this book will provide a clear understanding of these manifestations, we invite our readers to inform us about differences of opinion they may have with its contents and areas that need improvment.