Hematologic malignancies make about 10% of all cancer types in the United States, and the multidisciplinary care of these malignancies has evolved rapidly over the past 20 years. In fact, death rates across all blood cancers have been reduced, and once rapidly fatal diseases such as chronic myeloid leukemia have become curable with the advent of therapies such as imatinib and second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Moreover, a deeper understanding of the heterogeneity of these blood disorders along with novel targeted agents in combination with chemotherapy has also significantly improved the prognosis of one of another hematologic challenge: acute myeloid leukemia.

BOOKMARK

Title:Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice (8th Edition)

Editors: Ronald Hoffman; Edward J. Benz, Jr; Leslie E. Silberstein; Helen E. Heslop; Jeffrey I. Weitz; Mohamed E. Salama; Syed Ali Abutalib

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication Date: December 2022

Price: $299.99, hardcover, 2,512 pages

Although the future of blood cancers looks promising, the day-to-day management of this set of diseases remains challenging largely because of their nonspecific heterogeneous symptoms. Therefore, having a comprehensive store of knowledge is a vital component in the diagnosis and treatment of hematologic malignancies.

To date, few other books fill that mission better than Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice, which has been released in its 8th edition. The breadth and meticulous detail of this book are a testament to its editors, all of whom are internationally regarded experts in hematology. This textbook has been in print and updated in a timely fashion for 35 years, and it is a mainstay resource for students, hematologic practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.

Keeping Information Relevant

Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice is organized into 12 parts and 159 chapters, which sounds more daunting than it is, as the editors have done an exemplary job of methodical structure. And, as noted in the Preface, rather than resting on their laurels, the editors have added 11 new chapters and removed or altered parts that are less relevant to current practice. To their credit and to avoid stagnation, they have continually changed authors, bringing in the best and brightest new names in the field.

“This textbook has been in print and updated in a timely fashion for 35 years, and it is a mainstay resource for students, hematologic practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.”

—

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Fittingly, Part I is called “Molecular and Cellular Basis of Hematology.” The first chapter, “Anatomy and Physiology of the Gene” sets the tone for the style and tempo of this accomplished work. Despite its dry scientific content, this book is refreshingly fluid and well-paced. Chapter 1 introduces and surveys the essential features of molecular genetics relevant to hematology. It is so well documented it could serve as a stand-alone booklet for young medical students.

Well-Organized Content

Each chapter is broken into subhead sections, replete with figures, tables, and illustrations, all of which are clearly drawn and reader-friendly. At the end of Chapter 1, the editors smartly included a section called Future Directions, plus a voluminous Suggested Reading section. Monumental efforts such as Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice, where the whole (or as close to the whole as possible) of our store of hematologic knowledge exists between the covers, serves as a vital portable resource that can weather any storm. There is comfort in knowing just how much we have learned.

Worth the Time

Although a chapter-by-chapter review of this new edition, which is more than 2,500 pages, is warranted, it is far beyond the scope of this review. Each chapter contains an amazing amount of clinical knowledge and data, so much, that at times it can be overwhelming. That’s not a gripe but rather a cautionary note to readers, whether students or practitioners: take your time; it will be well worth the effort. For all the editors and authors have contributed to the field of hematology, we tip our hat. This is state-of-the-art information, and it is highly recommended for readers of The ASCO Post, especially for fellows in hematology.