Abstract
This third edition of Greaves's Histopathology of Preclinical Toxicity Studies extensively follows the traditions of the first two. It is laid out in chapters by organ system with chapters subdivided by anatomic location and morphologic changes. This book has been updated since the second edition, which was published in 2000. New references include a few through 2005 and 2006, which appears reasonable for a 2007 copyright, and are added to an already thorough bibliography. It is published on quality glossy paper with many photomicrographs of the changes discussed. Photomicrographs are largely those from previous editions, but have often been cropped to save space; salient features are still readily visible.
This book does a reasonable job of reviewing the toxicologic changes of a wide variety of pharmacologic agents in a wide range of tissues. It is not limited to rats and mice, but includes many of the mammalian species used in preclinical testing, where data is available. In addition to addressing the myriad potential toxicologic lesions and tumors, this book also includes discussion of organ weight changes as well as comparisons of adverse effects in preclinical toxicity studies as compared to human clinical data as an aid in risk assessment. Discussions of any one lesion or agent are generally brief, but this book provides a good starting point for further reading. The updates from the second edition are appropriate and helpful. The book focuses primarily on small molecule therapeutics. Although some biotechnology-based therapeutics are included, this is generally sparse, with most of the references to cytokines and other proteins referring to physiologic processes such as normal wounding healing and cellular growth and regulation and not to alterations that may be observed in toxicity studies.
The weakest part of the book is the index. It is often incomplete, with many items in the text that ought to be indexed that aren't, and it is occasionally incorrect, sending the reader to pages with no mention of the indexed item. The chapter on the nervous system and special senses is overly brief, while other chapters, such as the liver and kidney, are well rounded.
I find this book to be a readable, highly useful book that I'd recommend for the desk of any toxicologic pathologist. Like its two predecessor editions, it provides a concise, convenient resource for a wide variety of toxicologic effects. I have found myself often turning to the second edition as my first choice in learning more about a particular histologic change in preclinical toxicity studies, and I suspect that this new third edition will continue on in that role. At $159, this book is a bargain, compared to previous editions.