The diagnosis of cancer, especially in children, has evolved into a multistep process involving many diagnostic techniques. Molecular techniques are now essential tools in the diagnosis of paediatric cancer. This book will update pathologists and clinicians on the current techniques and their application to pathological diagnosis.

The first introductory chapter gives an excellent overview of childhood cancer including patient management. This is followed by two sections, the first covering laboratory methods and techniques. Also included in the first section is a chapter on “familial and predisposition syndromes”, which includes disorders of DNA repair and familial cancer syndromes. The second section consists of 12 chapters, which deal mainly with the molecular pathology of the major paediatric cancers, but also include information on the clinical features, pathology, and prognosis of selected neoplasms. The text is well written and complemented by appropriate tables and figures.

A typographical error appears in tables 1.5 and 9.2. Both tables list 11q13, instead of the correct 11p13, in the translocation for desmoplastic small round cell tumour.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I think that it is an excellent book in its category and would recommend it to scientists, clinicians, and pathologists who wish to understand the recent developments in paediatric cancer diagnosis.