The Teaching Cases Series of Annals of Oncology was editor and publisher of Annals that the first series of cases started in Apri11993. The aim was to use clinical cases as should be published in book form. a means of teaching the principles of diagnosis and Looking back over the first three years of cases, it is management of cancer. We kept in mind the educational clear that a wide range of cancer medicine has been needs of doctors in training, and of other health care covered to a very high standard. Taken together, the cases professionals. We planned that the cases would cover a are a valuable and a convenient source of information. For wide range of clinical diagnosis and diagnostic problems this book the text and references have been updated where and treatment decisions. necessary. In choosing the authors I have emphasized expertise I hope that readers of Annals of Oncology and others and enthusiasm. I attempted to invite cases from as wide a will find it a useful addition to their libraries. I am grate­ range of contributors as possible to reflect different ful to Franco Cavalli for having invited me to be the first opinions in the European countries. The contributors have editor of this series which I am sure will continue to responded magnificently to my requests for changes, my flourish. constant reminders, and my adaptation of their prose.