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Cancer: A Very Short Introduction explains, in non-technical language, what cancer is and what it does. Why, despite constant improvements in treatment techniques, has cancer proved to be so hard to tackle? Why does cancer remain one of the largest causes of death worldwide? This VSI examines the different examples of cancer healthcare from around the world. It also investigates the political and economic context to cancer care and examines the trends in diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The future of cancer care and the alternative and complementary approaches to cancer care are also outlined.Less

Hormones balance and coordinate the workings of the body. There are many misconceptions about the endocrine system and few people are aware of its nature and importance. Hormones: A Very Short Introduction explains what hormones are, where they come from, what they do, how they work, and how they evolved. It describes how the endocrine system operates, explaining how hormones regulate water, salt, and calcium in the body, how they affect reproduction and our appetites, and how they help us adjust to different environments, such as travel across time zones. The ethical and moral issues surrounding research methods, testing on animals, and hormone misuse are also considered.Less

Infectious disease is a moving target: new diseases emerge every year, old diseases evolve into new forms, and ecological and socioeconomic upheavals change the transmission pathways by which diseases spread. By taking an approach focused on the general evolutionary and ecological dynamics of disease, Infectious Disease: A Very Short Introduction considers where particular diseases come from, how they are transmitted from one person to another, why some individuals are more susceptible than others, and what strategies can be used to combat these diseases. It explains the general principles of infection, the management of outbreaks, and the evolutionary and ecological approaches that are now central to much research about infectious disease.Less