One third of human cancers have a hormonal basis. Breast cancer, the most common cancer of women, is increasing in incidence in many countries, as, in epidemic proportions, is prostate cancer, the second most common cancer of men. Concurrently, the development of molecular biology has led to a refinement of the definition of hormones to include the complex interaction between tumour cells and both locally and distantly secreted factors. This 1996 volume from the series Cancer: Clinical Science in Practice considers the many aspects of hormonally dependent cancer, including the molecular basis for the autocrine and paracrine regulation of cancer, molecular strategies for cancer detection, preventive strategies in limiting the epidemic of hormonally related cancers, and treatment approaches. The concise volumes in this series are intended for a wide audience of clinicians and researchers with an interest in the application of biomedical science to the understanding and management of cancer.