Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents: The Estrogen receptor and breast cancer -- Epidermal growth factor-related peptides and their cognate receptors in breast cancer -- The Role of fibroblast growth factors in breast cancer pathogenesis and progression -- Transforming growth factor and breast cancer -- The Insulin-like growth factor network and breast cancer -- Molecular alterations in breast cancer -- Apoptosis and the development of breast cancer -- WNT genes and breast cancer -- Hereditary breast cancer genes -- Biological functions of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 proteins -- Psychosocial issues in BRCA1/2 testing -- Nm23, breast differentiation and cancer metastasis -- Role of integrims in the development and malignancy of the breast -- Matrix metalloproteinases in the pathogenesis of breast cancer -- The Urokinase Plasminogen activation system in breast cancer -- Angiogenesis in breast cancer: role in biology, tumor progression and prognosis -- Cytogenetic approaches to breast cancer -- Current and future directions in surgical and chemotherapeutic approaches to breast cancer treatment -- Breast cancer therapy using monoclonal antibodies against epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2 -- Towards the therapeutic targeting of matrix metalloproteinases in breast cancer -- MUC1 Mucin as a tumor antigen in breast cancer -- Aromatase inhibitors and the role of hormonal therapy in breast cancer -- Drug resistance in breast cancer -- Smoking as a risk for breast cancer -- The Estrogenicity of selected nutrients, phytochemicals, pesticides and pollutants: their potential roles in breast cancer --