Head and Neck

Head and Neck Oncology is designed to be a comprehensive, multidisciplinary reference for the physician who is inexperienced in dealing with head and neck tumors. The quality of the short, concise chapters is extremely variable, depending on the author, but the editing is well done. "Decision pathways" are a major focus of each chapter; they give the reader an appreciation of the pitfalls involved in accurately diagnosing and treating tumors arising within distinct sites in the head and neck.

Although the book is intended to be comprehensive, several head and neck sites are either neglected or incorporated within broader categories. In the treatment section, much attention is paid to airways, anesthesia, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, but there is little if any material dealing with cancers of the nose, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, and temporal bone. In fact, broad categories include only the larynx, the thyroid, neck dissection, and the chest. In the rehabilitation section, several chapters deal with basic audiometric evaluation and rehabilitation for hearing loss. This material is only peripherally related to head and neck cancers. Physicians treating head and neck cancer will find this book to be incomplete and far from comprehensive, but novices or students wishing to acquaint themselves with various aspects of head and neck oncology will benefit from the information it contains.

Laryngeal Cancer is the logical successor to Silver's previous work, Surgery for Cancer of the Larynx and Related Structures (New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1981). Whereas the earlier book concentrated on surgical anatomy, pathology, and technique as viewed by a single author, many authors have contributed to Laryngeal Cancer, and their opinions, techniques, and conclusions often differ. The lack of consistency actually adds credibility to the book by demonstrating that there are many options in the treatment of laryngeal carcinoma.

Organization is the single greatest asset of this book. Beginning with clinical-pathological correlations and proceeding through imaging, nonsurgical modalities, and finally surgical options, the multiauthored chapters are clear and concise. There is little repetition or overlap, but certain chapters, such as that on early carcinoma of the larynx, are remarkably similar to those written by the same authors in other books. The references in general are comprehensive, but some authors have failed to include relevant articles and others have omitted timely references. Emphasis on the surgical treatment of laryngeal cancer stands out in a book of this nature. The division between early lesions, which can be managed by conservative techniques, and advanced lesions, which require aggressive treatment, defines the limits for clinicians faced with these problems in their own practices.

For the physician, particularly the surgeon, dealing with carcinoma of the larynx, this book will be a worthwhile addition to the personal library. It will also be an important addition to an otolaryngology residency library, but it would best serve as a reference book for the general otolaryngologist confronted with an occasional patient with a laryngeal cancer.

Adenoid Cystic Cancer of the Head and Neck is a remarkable work from a truly remarkable author. Dr. Conley has the single most extensive experience with this disease: more than 400 cases during his many years of practice. Along with his coauthor Dr. Calser, Conley has attempted to consolidate this knowledge so that it can be measured as the current state of the art. Their book brings together information on pathology, biologic behavior, statistics, and management of this threatening and unpredictable tumor. The book is easy to read and proceeds in an orderly and logical manner. There is excellent radiographic documentation. Evaluation of data is divided according to whether the tumor originates in the major or minor salivary gland, so that meaningful information can be deduced. An entire chapter deals with tumors arising at aberrant sites. Although relatively few physicians will come into contact with patients who have this rare tumor, this book is a must as a reference work.