Cancer endocrinology through own experience: areas for further thought and development

Abstract

Lev Berstein speaks to Natasha Galukande, Assistant Commissioning Editor. Lev Berstein is Chief of Laboratory of Oncoendocrinology at the Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, St Petersburg, Russia. His main scientific interests include mechanisms of hormonal carcinogenesis, studying risk factors of hormone-associated tumors, and new approaches for prevention and treatment of the latter. As a clinician, he is involved in the management of cancer patients needing hormonal therapy or having endocrine pathology. Berstein has received several international distinctions (including an INTAS grant and UICC Translational Cancer Research Fellowship), serves as a Member of Council of the Russian Endocrine Association and is on the editorial boards of several international journals, including Future Oncology, was Guest Editor for a special focus issue of Expert Review of Endocrinology and Metabolism on hormones in breast and prostate cancer, and is a member of the European Association of Cancer Research and The Endocrine Society of the USA. His bibliography includes 11 monographs, 21 chapters and more than 200 papers in peer-reviewed journals. He graduated as a MD from Tartu University in Estonia and completed his PhD and Doctor of Medical Sciences degrees in cancer endocrinology at the NN Petrov Institute in St Petersburg (Russia).