Losses and Gains

Volume 70 begins with two "Foundations in Cancer Research" articles, a staple of the Advances in Cancer Research series. The first article by Michael Stoker presents a review of some of the early advances made by cancer cell biology researchers. The second article by Emmanuel Farber describes the methods by which researchers delineate the phenotype of cells and ways to alter these phenotypes to prevent or delay carcinomas. Chidambaram and Dean illustrate the tumors and associated malformations of nevoid basal cell carcinoma. Koli and Keski-Oja review the effects of how transforming growth factor-b regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and morphogenesis and its regulation by the steroid hormone superfamily. Jean-Marc Lemaitre and colleagues discuss the involvement of protooncogenes in the control of the cell cycle and embryonic development with specific attention paid to c-Myc expression and c-Myc function. A review of the various studies involving tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and their possible role in cancer prevention is presented by Steven Rosenberg and co-workers. Finally, Bruce Ponder and Darrin Smith review the genetic and biological aspects of multiple endocrine neoplasia type-2 syndromes and the phenotypes associated with ret mutations.In her bestselling book Losses and Gains, Lya Luft draws on her own experiences of loss and gain in marriage and family to address the universal themes of childhood, love and maturity. She portrays love as the common thread through all phases of life. As children, the unconditional love we receive from our parents determines our expectations for all the other forms of love we experience later. And as adults, she argues, the complex task of loving another depends, initially, on self-love and self-esteem. Luft's ardent reflections on existence and the human spirit are a powerful reminder to us all: we have lost everything only when we believe we deserve less than everything still to be gained.