1 Morphine and metastasis: from bench to bedside -- 2 Interaction of Naloxone and Estrogen Receptor in Breast Cancer -- 3 Morphine and immunosuppression in the context of tumor growth and metastasis -- 4 Opioid Regulation of Vascular Integrity -- 5 Iatrogenic Angiogenesis -- 6 Could opioids affect cancer recurrence or metastases? Current experimental and Translational Evidence -- 7 Genetic polymorphisms in the µ-opioid receptor gene and breast cancer survival -- 8 Anaesthetic and pain management technique in long term cancer outcome - benefits of regional anaesthesia and analgesia in the context of cancer surgery -- 9 Perioperative morphine and cancer recurrence.

The possibility that morphine and other opioids may modulate tumour growth and metastasis has been researched for many years. The recent past has seen multiple clinical studies attempting to document whether limiting the perioperative use of morphine is beneficial for cancer surgery patients. Furthermore, a lot of exciting new data has been generated in vitro, but also in preclinical and clinical studies, that indirectly shed light on the effect of opioids on cancer. This book combines chapters written by qualified experts around the world whose research encompasses the effect of morphine or other opioids on tumour growth and metastasis. This includes clinicians, researchers working on animal models and studying the effect of morphine on tumours, and most importantly the mechanism for this effect, and lastly cell biologists. Current investigations and cross talk between basic science and clinical trials will refine our understanding of the multiple levels of actions of morphine and other opioids on tumour growth and metastasis, and result in improved guidelines for patient care. This book will be of interest to clinicians, especially those dealing with cancer patients and their pain management, as well as students, teachers and scientists in the fields of anaesthesiology, oncology, tumour biology, immunology, opioid pharmacology.