Paul King
Artificial Neural Networks in
Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis,
and Patient Management
Edited by Raouf N.G. Naguib and Gajann
V. Sherbet, CRC Press, 2001. ISBN
0-8493-9692-1, 216 pages, US$95.
Despite initial formulation in the
early 20th century, artificial neural net-
works (ANNs) have mainly been ap-
plied to problems in pattern recogni-
tion, control systems, and optimization
for the past 20 years. This book concen-
trates on the application of ANNs in hu-
man cancer research including feature
extraction, prognostic studies, survival
analyses, and outcome prediction. The
editors contend that the impact of
ANNs on current cancer research in-
cludes prediction of an individual pa-
tients prognosis, more accurate disease
management, and algorithms that allow
adjustment of the markers as the under-
standing of specific cancers evolve.
The authors present ANNs as comple-
mentary tools to existing statistical
methods.
This book is part of The Biomedical
Engineering Series edited by Michael
R. Neuman. There were 32 contributors
to the book. The chapter authors are
mathematicians, engineers, and clinical
researchers based in Europe and the
Americas. The book is divided into 13
chapters, the first of which is an intro-
duction to ANN applications in oncol-
ogy. The cancers presented in this book
are breast cancer (Chapters 2 and 3),
lung cancer (Chapters 4 and 5), oral
cancer (Chapter 6), cancer of the
oesophago-gastric junction (Chapter
7), urological cancers (Chapters 8-12),
and skin cancer (Chapter 13).
Chapter 1 introduces, on a very ba-
sic level, the biological neuron and the
mathematical model of an artificial
neuron. The authors emphasize the ex-
perimentation and simulation involved
in resolving the relationships between
IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY MAGAZINE
input and output variables for the can- This book presents an exciting alter-
cers studied. The introduction is short, native to traditional statistical tech-
and some of the chapter authors discuss niques for use in outcome prediction
some issues that could be addressed in and disease management for cancer pa-
the introduction. For example, Chapter tients. While readers that are new to
4 (Neural Networks for the Estimation ANNs will need an additional introduc-
of Prognosis in Lung Cancer) includes tory reference that covers theory and
a discussion of the architecture, train- implementation, most readers will be
ing, and reliability of ANNs that is not able to use the book immediately.
covered in the introduction. Kemi Ladeji-Osias
After a six-page introduction to Morgan State University
ANNs, the rest of the book presents re-
sults from specific cancers. The dis- Fundamentals of Microfabrication,
cussion in most of these 12 chapters in- The Science of Miniaturization,
clude a background on the disease, pa- 2nd edition
rameters selected for the input and out- By Marc J. Madou, CRC Press, 2002.
put neurons, selection of training cases ISBN 0-8493-0826-7, xvi + 702 pages,
and ANN prediction accuracy for the US$99.95.
test cases. Most of the chapters include The Fundamentals of Microfabrica-
a thorough discussion of their method- tion describes the science of miniatur-
ology and limitations of the results that ization, which demonstrates ways of
will assist one in deciding whether or making devices using smaller and
not to include ANNs in their work. smaller materials. This book brings an
Book Reviewers Needed
Please e-mail paul.h.king@vanderbilt.edu indicating
your interest in writing reviews for this magazine.
Please also include your area(s) of expertise.
Reviews should be
300-500 words,
and they should
indicate the
use and
usefulness of the text. For this service to the
profession, you get to keep the book and add
a line to your vita!
MARCH/APRIL 2003 109
understanding of manufacturing op-
tions, material choices, and size. The
miniaturization area studied in the book
shows top-down methods that are built
from large to small and bottom-up
methods built from small to large.
Each chapter is described in the pref-
ace or roadmap (the name the authors
use for the preface). Instructions for the
uses of the inserts and glossary are in-
cluded here for information on addi-
tional subject areas and the explanation
of unfamiliar words. Presented through
the book are well-defined diagrams for
clarification of the techniques and sys-
tems found in each chapter. At the end of
all chapters is a section of well-written
review questions and a list of all refer-
ences used in that chapter.
The different techniques used in li-
thography are explained in Chapter 1.
The latest lithography tools are de-
scribed to access the nano field and ex-
amine nanofabrication or nanomachin-
ing. Chapter 2 gives details of dry-etch-
Marquette University and the Medical
College of Wisconsin.
As topics are presented and dis-
cussed in this column, I urge readers to
share their thoughts and opinions with
me so that I can share them with rest of
the readers. Future topics will include
items such as desired outcomes of se-
nior design courses; structures used to
teach design courses; and solicitation,
management, and staffing of projects.
Please let me know what other topics
you would like to see addressed in this
column. I would like to use this column
as a way for us to share our ideas and
opinions on various topics related to se-
IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY MAGAZINE
ing techniques for pattern transfer used
in miniaturization and IC technology.
Additive pattern transfer techniques are
covered in Chapter 3, which includes
thin-film and thick-film deposit meth-
ods. Chapter 4 describes a type of min-
iaturization in sensor and sensor sys-
tems involving single-crystal materials
called wet bulk micromachining. Chap-
ter 5 brings together thin-film additive
techniques with etching (both wet and
dry). This method is referred to as
surface micromachining.
LIGA, a tool based on deep x-ray li-
thography, electrodeposition, and mi-
cromolding, described as a cost-effec-
tive method used in microfabrication, is
thoroughly explained in Chapter 6.
Chapter 7 was found to be the most in-
formative chapter, comparing top-
down and bottom-up methods. In this
chapter aspects of microfabrication are
discussed such as miniaturization tools
and biotechnology (including the hu-
man genome project and high-through-
nior design courses. By doing so, we
can improve biomedical engineering
design education and help better pre-
pare our students for careers in biomed-
ical engineering.
Thanks for your time. I hope to hear
from many of you.
Please send your comments, opinions,
ideas, and feedback to jay.goldberg@
mu.edu.
References
[1] American Society for Engineering Education,
Summary report on evaluation of engineering educa-
tion, J. Eng. Educat., pp. 25-60, Sept. 1995.
put drug screening). In Chapter 8 the in-
stallation of a brain in miniaturized sys-
tems is discussed in detail. The chapter
also shows that the AI field is more ef-
fective in the bottom-up field than in
the top-down systems for a number of
reasons all explained for the reader to
understand easily. Scaling, actuation,
and the powering of these systems are
covered in Chapter 9. The chapter uses
mathematical and instinctive proce-
dures to show each of the main topics
covered in scaling, actuation, and pow-
ering of the systems. Chapter 10 gives
an overview of the present and impend-
ing applications as well as oppor-
tunities of using microfabrication
techniques in science and engineering.
This book is well written and very
informative for anyone interested in
this area of engineering and could be
used in an advanced course for the
study of microfabrication.
Diane Kauzlarick
EET
[2] American Society for Engineering Education, The
Green Report: Engineering Education for a Chang-
ing World. Washington, DC: American Society for
Engineering Education, 1994.
[3] B. Cherrington et al., The engineering leader and
leading change: A report from the ASEM team, pre-
sented at the 1995 National Conf. Amer. Soc. for En-
gineering Management, Washington, DC, Oct. 1995.
[4] Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Manufactur-
ing Education Plan (MEP). Dearborn, MI: Society of
Manufacturing Engineers, 1998.
[5] B. Bahner, Report: Curricula need product real-
ization, ASME News, vol. 15, no. 10, pp. 1-6, March
1996.
[6] T. OShei, Engineers are taught how to be true
team players, Business First, vol. 14, no. 41, pp.
31-33, 1998.
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