Book excerpt: This superb text gives a concise, systematic account of what is currently known about the epidemiology and primary prevention for most forms of human cancer. Part 1 provides an introduction to basic concepts in epidemiology, a description of the global burden of cancer, definitions and characterizations of the various measures used, and approaches used to reveal genetic determinants of cancer risk and integrate biologic markers in the epidemiogic research process. Part 2 contains chapters of uniform structure on over 20 types of cancer, providing clinical and pathological outlines, descriptive epidemiology, and a comprehensive account of risk factors and their etiological importance. Specific sections address somatic and germ cell mutations that play a role in the occurrence of particular forms of cancer.