Disease Progression and Disease Prevention

Chronic inflammatory, malignant and metabolic diseases of the liver, pancreas and bile system account for substantial morbidity and mortality. Thus, new strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat such diseases are urgently needed. This book is the proceedings of the Falk Symposium 150, "Disease Progression and Disease Prevention in the Gastrointestinal Tract", held in Berlin, Germany, on 3-4 October, 2005, and focusses on the biliary system, pancreas and liver. Pathogenic processes are described as well as primary and secondary prevention and treatment of disease. Scientific and clinical experts offer a broad understanding and pave the ground for extensive interdisciplinary discussions. In this sense, the symposium generated new aspects contributing to "translation research" developing also - at least in some aspects - new perspectives on the various different pathogenic mechanisms in gastrointestinal organs. The present book summarizes the state of the art in these different disease entities, as presented at the meeting.