Medicina e oncologia ENG Archivi | Gangemi Test

Medicine and Oncology. An Illustrated history

Segreteria Gangemi Editore spa — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 22:00:00 +0000

The interpretation of cancer as a genetic disease has provided the rational basis for developing new weapons to fight it, by searching for molecular alterations that play a key role in the neoplastic transformation of the cell and the maintenance of its proliferative activity. At the turn of this century, molecular cancer therapy emerged, making a neoplasm with a generally fatal course – chronic myeloid leukaemia – into a disease compatible with an almost normal life. Today, some 20 years on, there are now many cancers that can benefit from personalised treatments with significantly prolonged patient survival. With volume XI of Medicine and Oncology, the long journey that began with the dawn of life has come to an end: an impassioned journey that has recounted the many achievements over the centuries to preserve human health, and which concludes with an examination of the most recent and spectacular therapeutic advances, obtained thanks to the possibility – provided by new and sophisticated technologies – of sequencing the human genome and, therefore, of studying neoplastic disease in greater depth. Nevertheless, research does not stop here. The foundations have now been laid to trust in new advances in improving the specificity of molecularly targeted drugs and in the development of therapeutic mRNA cancer vaccines, in the wake of the success of preventive vaccines against COVID-19. Everything is presented with the usual lucid clarity of exposition, aided by numerous images that enhance the text, making it even easier to understand.

Massimo Lopez was Director of the Division of Medical Oncology of the “Regina Elena” Institute for Cancer Research in Rome and Professor of Oncology at the 1st School of Specialisation in Oncology at “Sapienza” University, Rome. He has published over 200 articles in the most important scientific journals in Italy and abroad and written several books, including a monograph on breast cancer, one on GIST, and the manual of practical medical oncology that bears his name.

Plan of the Work
978-88-492-3842-6 Volume I The Origins and Ancient Civilisations
978-88-492-3843-3 Volume II The Mediterranean World
978-88-492-3844-0 Volume III Medieval Medicine
978-88-492-3845-7 Volume IV The Renaissance and The New Science
978-88-492-3846-4 Volume V The Enlightenment and The Nineteenth Century
978-88-492-3847-1 Volume VI The Development of Scientific Oncology
978-88-492-3848-8 Volume VII Evolution of Cancer Treatments
978-88-492-3849-5 Volume VIII Breast Cancer
978-88-492-3850-1 Volume IX Evolution and Successes of Cancer Chemotherapy
978-88-492-3851-8 Volume X Cancer as a Genetic Disease (January 2023)
978-88-492-3852-5 Volume XI Cancer in Early Twenty-first Century (September 2023)

Prof. Massimo Lopez
Short CV

Massimo Lopez, medical oncologist, lives in Rome.
His curriculum studiorum began with a degree in Medicine (Rome, 1967, “Sapienza” University) with a thesis on certain rare skin cancers. He went on to obtain a specialisation degree in Cardiology (Turin, 1971), Oncology (Roma, 1973) and Internal Medicine (Rome, 1976). In 1979 he obtained his National Qualification as Head of Department in Oncology.
Apart from the work done at the Santa Maria Goretti Hospital in Latina (1986-1989) as Head of the Medical Oncology Division, he carried out his activity at “Regina Elena” Institute for the Study and Treatment of Cancer in Rome, initially as a medical assistant in the Pain Treatment Centre (1970), then as assistant in the Medicine and Haematology Division, and later as chief resident in the same Division, renamed Medical Oncology. He was then the Director of the Division of Medical Oncology B from 1990 to 2011, the year he retired. During that same period he taught Cancer Pharmacology and Chemotherapy and later also Medical Oncology at the 1st School of Specialisation in Oncology, “Sapienza” University.
For many years he was the oncology consultant of the Forensic Medicine Service and Drug Commission of the Ministry of Health and Presidency of the Republic.
Member of numerous Scientific Societies in Italy (Associazione Italiana di Oncologia Medica – AIOM; Società Italiana Tumori – SIT-) and abroad (European Society of Medical Oncology – ESMO; American Society of Clinical Oncology –ASCO; New York Academy of Sciences), he is currently a Permanent Member of ASCO. Member of the Scientific Committee of the European Journal of Oncology and Editor of Oncology Care Today & Tomorrow; from 1998 to 2016 he was the Scientific Director of the journal La Clinica Terapeutica.
During his professional career he has always focused in particular on clinical research in oncology, teaching, and the dissemination of information.
In the period 1970-1990 his research activities focused primarily on the study of new anticancer drugs, biomodulation and novel combination chemotherapy regimes in different advanced solid cancers such as breast cancer, gastric carcinoma, melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, colorectal cancers and soft tissue sarcomas. He won international renown for his work on several treatments: identification of a new hormone therapy for male breast carcinoma using antiandrogens; the development of the FAB combination in the treatment of gastric cancer; the EDIC regime in soft tissue sarcomas and various antiproliferative agents in non-Hodgkin lymphomas, melanoma and female breast cancer. Studies on the use of epirubicin and idarubicin in the treatment of female breast cancer have contributed significantly to the registration of these anthracyclines in the therapy of advanced stages of this cancer, respectively in the United States and Italy.
Between 1990 and 2000, his most important research studies focused on: the immunotherapy of kidney cancer; the immunotherapy of lung and colorectal cancer; overcoming drug resistance in breast cancer and soft tissue sarcomas; amelioration and prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity; adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer and adjuvant therapy of colorectal carcinoma.
From 2000 onwards, while continuing his clinical research on innovative treatments of breast cancer (using agents such as taxanes, vinorelbine and gemcitabine) and the clinical evaluation of new drugs, he also systemised the huge mass of information regarding molecular cancer therapy and designed and conducted translational research studies with molecularly targeted agents alone or in combination with traditional chemotherapy agents.
He has also significantly inputted into research regarding the prevention and early detection of cancer combined with optimal organisational criteria.
Between 1986 and 1989 he launched a cancer prevention programme in the province of Latina successfully involving the population due to the precision and rapidity of the implementation of the services envisaged by the programme. This initiative was extremely useful when he developed a completely computerised cancer prevention project later efficiently used to organise and direct a national cancer prevention programme for FISDE (Supplementary Health Fund for ENEL employees).
In 2005 he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Grand Officer) by the President of the Italian Republic. In 2016 he was appointed Academician of the Accademia Lancisiana by the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities.

In 1985 he initiated the publication of a series of monographs on cancer – the Collana di Oncologia published by the Società Editrice Universo, Rome. In 2000 the first edition of Oncologia Medica Pratica became the reference text for most Italian oncologists.
He also wrote the entire medical oncology section in the Trattato Italiano di Medicina Interna published by Teodori, and was co-editor of the last edition of this classic text, published in 2004. Since 1998 he has co-edited the Prontuario Terapeutico Universo and has written the entire section dedicated to medical oncology.
Thousands of copies were printed of the following more informative books: Cancro. Conoscerlo per imparare a sconfiggerlo (2003 and 2007), I tumori della mammella (2005) and GIST. Tumori Stromali Gastrointestinali (2005 and 2009).
In more recent years he supplemented the Oncologia Medica Practica by focusing on the study of historical sources of medical and oncological knowledge; his goal was to present the conceptual foundations of Medicine and Oncology as a helpful tool for both doctors and members of the public interested in this topic. This sparked a much broader literary endeavour entitled Medicina e Oncologia. Storia illustrata. [Medicine and Oncology. An illustrated history]. During the drafting of the eleven volumes in Italian and English, he became aware of the growing interest of laypersons in their own health and issues such as cancer, considered up until recently, a taboo. Proof comes in the form of the numerous television programmes that deal with cancer and the enormous number of magazines and specialised articles on this issue.
The request for more information became gradually more pressing and the virtual audience of readers increased enormously to include people who, having once broken the glass ceiling that kept them away from this kind of literature, now want to obtain a correct and accessible information which has to be, however, scrupulous, thorough, and easy to understand. Illness, including cancer, always seems to lurk in the shadows, and even those who are not doctors feel the need to understand how, when and why humans fall sick, which weapons are at their disposal in order not to succumb, and what are our future prospects.
Electronic address: massimo.lopez2010@gmail.com

Selected works

Lopez, M., Gebbia, N., Cascinu, S., Marchetti, P., (eds). Lopez – Oncologia Medica Pratica, 3° ed. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 2010

Lopez, M., (ed). Oncologia Medica Pratica. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 2000 and 2005

Lopez, M., (ed). GIST. Tumori Stromali Gastrointestinali. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 2005 and 2009

Lopez, M., I Tumori della Mammella. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 2005

Lopez, M., Cancro. Conoscerlo per imparare a sconfiggerlo. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 2003 and 2007

Cugini, P., Fiorelli, G., Guarini, G., Lopez, M., Violi, F., Volpe, M., (eds). Teodori – Trattato Italiano di Medicina Interna, 7a ed. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 2004

Lopez, M., Mammarella, A., Paoletti, V., (eds). Prontuario Terapeutico Universo. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 1998 -2007

Lopez, M., Tersigni, R., (eds). I Tumori del Pancreas Esocrino. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 1991

Lopez, M., (ed). I Tumori dello Stomaco. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 1989

Lopez, M., (ed). I Sarcomi dei Tessuti Molli. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 1988

Lopez, M., (ed). I Tumori del Grosso Intestino. Roma, Società Editrice Universo, 1985

Selected scientific articles

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Barduagni, M., et al: Il carcinoma della mammella maschile. Argomenti di Oncologia 1981; 2: 225-37

Lopez, M., Barduagni, A.: Cyproterone acetate in advanced male breast cancer. Cancer 1982; 49: 9-11

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Perno, CF., et al: 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide combined with high-dose medroxyprogesterone acetate in advanced breast cancer. Tumori 1983; 69: 545-51

Lopez, M., Perno, CF., Di Lauro, L., Papaldo, P.: 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin and BCNU (FAB) combination chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 1984; 12: 194-7

Lopez, M., Perno, CF., Di Lauro, L., et al: Controlled study of DTIC versus DTIC plus epirubicin in metastatic malignant melanoma. Investigational New Drugs 1984; 2: 319-22

Lopez, M., Perno, CF., Papaldo, P., et al: Phase II study of epirubicin in advanced malignant melanoma. Investigational New Drugs 1984; 2: 315-7

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Papaldo, P., Perno, CF.: Alternating combination chemotherapy of advanced soft tissue sarcomas in adults. Am J Clin Oncol 1984; 7: 539-42

Lopez, M.: Stato attuale della terapia medica dell’adenocarcinoma gastrico. Argomenti di Oncologia 1984; 5: 185-205

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Papaldo, P., et al: Phase II trial with oral idarubicin in advanced breast cancer. Proceedings of the 14th International Congress of Chemotherapy, Kyoto, 1985

Lopez, M., Lazzaro, B., Di Lauro, L., et al: Activity of oral 4-demethoxydaunorubicin in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. Proceedings of the 14th International Congress of Chemotherapy, Kyoto, 1985

Lopez, M., Lazzaro, B., Di Lauro, L., et al: Phase II study of oral 4- demethoxydaunorubicin in advanced malignant melanoma. Proceedings of the 14th International Congress of Chemotherapy, Kyoto, 1985

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Lazzaro, B., Papaldo, P.: Hormonal treatment of disseminated male breast cancer. Oncology 1985; 42: 345-9

Lopez, M., Cyproterone acetate in the treatment of metastatic cancer of the male breast. Cancer 1985; 10: 2334-6

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Ganzina, F., et al: Epirubicin in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. Am J Clin Oncol 1985; 8: 151-3

Intini, C., Sacchetti, G., Lopez, M., et al: FEC vs FAC in advanced breast cancer: An Italian Multicenter Trial. Proceedings of the 14th International Congress of Chemotherapy, Kyoto, 1985

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Papaldo, L., Lazzaro, B.: Chemotherapy in metastatic male breast cancer. Oncology 1985; 42: 205-9

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Papaldo, P., et al: Phase II evaluation of oral idarubicin (4- demethoxydaunorubicin) in patients with disseminated malignant melanoma.
Cancer Treat Rep 1986; 70: 911-2

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Papaldo, P., et al: Treatment of advanced measurable gastric carcinoma with 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, and BCNU. Oncology 1986; 43: 288-91

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Papaldo, P.: Oral idarubicin in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. Investigastional New Drugs 1986; 4: 263-7

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Papaldo, P., et al: Phase II trial with oral idarubicin in advanced breast cancer. Investigational New Drugs 1986; 4: 39-42

Lopez, M., Contegiacomo, A., Vici, P., et al: A prospective randomized trial of doxorubicin versus idarubicin in the treatment of advanced breast cancer. Cancer 1989; 64: 2431-6

Lopez, M., Papaldo, P., Di Lauro, L., et al: 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide (FAC) vs. 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide (FEC) in metastatic breast cancer. Oncology 1989; 46: 1-5

Lopez, M., Natali, M., Di Lauro, L., et al: 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, and BCNU (FEB) in advanced measurable gastric cancer. Am J Clin Oncol 1990; 13: 204-7

Lopez, M., Carpano, S., Di Lauro, L., et al: Epirubicin and DTIC (EDIC) for advanced soft-tissue sarcomas. Oncology 1991; 48: 230-3

Lopez, M., Vici, P., Carpano, S., et al: Combination chemotherapy with oral idarubicin and cyclophosphamide for metastatic breast cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 1991; 117: 61-4

Lopez, M., Carpano, S., Cancrini, A., et al: Phase II study of continuous intravenous infusion of recombinant interleukin-2 in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Ann Oncol 1993; 4: 689-91

Lopez, M., Natali. M., Di Lauro. L., et al.: Combined treatment with buselerin and cyproterone acetate in metastatic male breast cancer. Cancer 1993; 72: 502-5

Lopez, M., Carpano, S., Cancrini, A., et al.: Phase II study of continuous intravenous infusion of recombinant interleukin-2 in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Ann Oncol 1993; 4: 689-91

Lopez, M., Di Lauro, L., Paoletti, G., et al.: Sequential biochemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer using fluorouracil, folinic acid, thymopentin and interleukin-2: Clinical and immunological effects. Ann Oncol 1995; 6: 1011-17

Vici, P., Di Lauro, L., Carpano, S., Amodio, A., Pignatti, F., Casali, A., Conti, F., Lopez, M.: Vinorelbine and mitomycin C in anthracycline-pretreated patients with advanced breast cancer. Oncology 1996; 53: 16-8

Di Lauro, L., Vici, P., Carpano, S., Rinaldi, M., Conti, F., Gionfra, T., Del Medico, P., Frasca, A.M., Tersigni, R., Lopez, M.: Results of two phase II studies of biochemotherapy in patients with metastatic melanoma. Ann Oncol 1996; 7: 120-1

Maini, CL., Sciuto, R., Ferraironi, A., Vici, P., Tofani, A., Festa, A., Conti, F., Lopez, M.: Clinical relevance of radionuclide angiography and antimyosin immunoscintigraphy for risk assessment in epirubicin cardiotoxicity. J Nucl Cardiol 1997; 4: 502-8

Vici, P., Di Lauro, L., Conti, F., Capomolla, E., Gionfra, T., Amodio, A., Lopez, M.: Paclitaxel activity in anthracycline refractory breast cancer patients. Tumori 1997; 83: 661-4

Lopez, M., Vici, P., Di Lauro, L., et al.: Randomized prospective clinical trial of highdose epirubicin and dexrazoxane in patients with advanced breast cancer and soft tissue sarcomas. J Clin Oncol 1998; 16: 86-92

Vici, P., Amodio, A., Di Lauro, L., Conti, F., Gionfra, T., Belli, F., Lopez, M.: First-line chemotherapy with vinorelbine and paclitaxel as simultaneous infusion in advanced breast cancer. Oncology 2000; 58: 3-7

Ackland, SP., …Lopez, M., et al: Dose-intensive epirubicin-based chemotherapy is superior to an intensive intravenous cyclophosphamide,
methotrexate, and fluorouracil regimen in metastatic breast cancer: a randomized multinational study. J Clin Oncol 2001; 19: 943-53

Lopez, M., et al: Increasing single epirubicin doses in advanced soft tissue sarcomas. J Clin Oncol 2002; 20: 1329-34

Vici, P., Colucci, G., Gebbia, V., Amodio, A., Giotta, F., Belli, F., Gebbia, N., Pezzella, G., Valerio, MR., Di Lauro, L., Pisconti, S., Durini, E., Giannarelli, D., Lopez, M.: First-line treatment with epirubicin and vinorelbine in mestastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2002; 11: 2689-94

Papaldo, P., Lopez, M., Cortesi, E., et al: Addition of either lonidamine or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor does not improve survival in early breast cancer patients treated with high-dose epirubicin and cyclophosphamide. J Clin Oncol 2003; 21: 3462-8

Vici, P., Foggi, P., Colucci, G., Capomolla, E., Brandi, M., Giotta, F., Gebbia, N., Di Lauro, L., Valerio, MR., Paoletti, G., Belli, F., Pizza, C., Giannarelli, D., Lopez, M.: Sequential docetaxel followed by epirubicin-vinorelbine as first-line chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer. Anticancer Res 2005; 25:1309-14

Papaldo, P., Lopez, M., Marolla, P., et al: Impact of five prophylactic filgrastim schedules on hematologic toxicity in early breast cancer patients treated with epirubicin and cyclosphosphamide. J Clin Oncol 2005; 23:6908-18

Di Lauro, L., Belli, F., Arena, MG., Carpano, S., Paoletti, G., Giannarelli, D., Lopez, M.: Epirubicin, cisplatin and docetaxel combination therapy for metastatic gastric cancer. Ann Oncol 2005; 16: 1498-1502

Colucci, G.…Lopez, M.: Phase III randomized trial of folfiri versus folfox 4
in the treatment of advanced colrectal cancer: a multicenter study of the Gruppo Oncologico dell’Italia Meridionale. J Clin Oncol 2005; 23: 4866-75

De Placido, S., Lopez, M., Carlomagno, C., et al: Modulation of 5-fluorouracil as adjuvant systemic chemotherapy in colorectal cancer: the IGCS-COL multicentre, randomised, phase III study. Br J Cancer 2005; 93:896-904

Giacinti, L., Claudio, PP., Lopez, M., et al: Epigenetic information and estrogen receptor alpha expression in breast cancer. The Oncologist 2006; 11:1-8

Ferretti, G., Lopez, M., Terzoli, E., et al: Myeloid toxicity in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: what is the appropriate use of filgrastim? J Clin Oncol 2006; 24:5618-9

Lopez, M., et al. Making the right choice in the adjuvant chemotherapy of primary breast cancer.
EJC Supplement 2008; 6:10-12

Colucci, G.…, Lopez, M., Cetuximab plus FOLFOX-4 in untreated patients with advanced colorectal cancer: A Gruppo Oncologico dell’Italia Meridionale Multicenter phase II
Study. Oncology 2010; 79:415-22

Cauchi, C., Trent, JC., Edwards, K., Davey, M., Lopez, M., Yu, JQ., von Mehren, M.. An unusual site of metastasis from gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Rare Tumors 2010; 2: e58

Vici, P.… Lopez, M., A multicenter prospective phase II randomized trial of epirubicin/vinorelbine versus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin/vinolelbine as
first-line treatment in advanced breast cancer. A GOIM study. I Exp Clin Cancer Res 2011; 30:39

Vici, P.… Lopez, M., Phase I-II trial of prolonged gemcitabine infusion plus paclitaxel
as a biweekly schedule for advanced breast cancer patients pretreated with anthraycines. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2011; 67:687-693

Vici, P.… Lopez, M., A multicenter phase III prospective randomized trial of high-dose epirubicin in combination with cyclophosphamide (EC) versus docetaxel followed by EC in node-negative breast cancer. GOIM (Gruppo Oncologico Italia Meridionale) 9902
study. Ann Oncol 2012; 23:1121-1129

Cauchi, C., Somaiah, N., Engstrom, Litwin, S., Lopez, M., Lee, J., Davey, M., Bove, B., von Mehren, M., Evaluation of nilotinib in advanced GIST peviously treated with imatinib and sunitinib. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2012; 69:977-982

Giacinti, L.… Lopez, M., Scriptaid effects on breast cancer cell lines. J Cell Physiol 2012; 227:3426- 3433

Maini, CL., Sciuto, R., Ferraironi, A., Vici, P., Tofani, A., Festa, A., Conti, F., Lopez, M.: Clinical relevance of radionuclide angiography and antimyosin immunoscintigraphy for risk assessment in epirubicin cardiotoxicity. J Nucl Cardiol 1997; 4: 502-8

Vici, P., Di Lauro, L., Conti, F., Capomolla, E., Gionfra, T., Amodio, A., Lopez, M.: Paclitaxel activity in anthracycline refractory breast cancer patients. Tumori 1997; 83: 661-4

Lopez, M., Vici, P., Di Lauro, L., et al.: Randomized prospective clinical trial of highdose epirubicin and dexrazoxane in patients with advanced breast cancer and soft tissue sarcomas. J Clin Oncol 1998; 16: 86-92

Vici, P., Amodio, A., Di Lauro, L., Conti, F., Gionfra, T., Belli, F., Lopez, M.: First-line chemotherapy with vinorelbine and paclitaxel as simultaneous infusion in advanced breast cancer. Oncology 2000; 58: 3-7

Lopez, M., et al: Increasing single epirubicin doses in advanced soft tissue sarcomas. J Clin Oncol 2002; 20: 1329-34

Giacinti, L., Claudio, PP., Lopez, M., et al: Epigenetic information and estrogen receptor alpha expression in breast cancer. The Oncologist 2006; 11:1-8

Ferretti, G., Lopez, M., Terzoli, E., et al: Myeloid toxicity in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: what is the appropriate use of filgrastim? J Clin Oncol 2006; 24:5618-9

Lopez, M., et al. Making the right choice in the adjuvant chemotherapy of primary breast cancer.
EJC Supplement 2008; 6:10-12

Cauchi, C., Trent, JC., Edwards, K., Davey, M., Lopez, M., Yu, JQ., von Mehren, M.. An unusual site of metastasis from gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Rare Tumors 2010; 2: e58

Cauchi C, Somaiah N, Engstrom, Litwin S, Lopez M, Lee J, Davey M, Bove B, von Mehren M. Evaluation of nilotinib in advanced GIST peviously treated with imatinib and sunitinib. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2012; 69:977-982

Giacinti L… Lopez M. Scriptaid effects on breast cancer cell lines. J Cell Physiol 2012; 227:3426-3433

L'articolo Medicine and Oncology. An Illustrated history proviene da Gangemi Test.

Medicine and Oncology. An Illustrated history

Segreteria Gangemi Editore spa — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 14:08:50 +0000

After centuries of speculation and conjecture about the nature of cancer, we now know that it is a genetic disease, in the sense that it is caused by the alteration of certain genes. The path that led to this conclusion began in the second half of the 19th century with the theory of evolution put forward by Charles Darwin and the formulation of laws on the transmission of hereditary traits by Gregory Mendel. However, it was the discovery in 1953 of the double helix structure of DNA that was the decisive turning point that, by fostering the development of molecular biology, triggered a series of research studies into the genetic characteristics of tumours that made it possible to clarify the fundamental mechanisms underlying their genesis and progression. Today, we know about the role of oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes, DNA damage repair genes, growth factors, receptors, non-receptor oncoproteins, signal transduction pathways, the microenvironment surrounding the tumour, as well as epigenetic factors. Yet such findings would seem dry without hearing of the events behind them, of the researchers’ commitment and perseverance in conducting long and difficult studies, of their insights, joys and frustrations, of their ability to put together disparate pieces of the puzzle and make sense of things. It is one of the most fascinating tales in oncology that has unfolded through complicated journeys, often ending with the awarding of the “Prize of Prizes” – the Nobel – to young and enthusiastic researchers. This tale is outlined in Volume X of Medicine and Oncology with passionate participation by the author, who has managed to make even the most complicated concepts easy to understand, often using highly representative illustrations.