My initial reaction to a single author text on colorectal cancer was that the author was either a brave or a foolish man to attempt such an onerous task single handed. New information about aetiology, screening, pathogenesis, and all aspects of treatment have changed considerably in the last 10 years and the literature abounds with new information, only some of which is important, but all of it needs sifting to distil a worthwhile and up to date text.

The synopsis claims this text to be an “updated and comprehensive description of the most relevant features of colorectal cancer . . .”—I …