This book is the proceedings of the Falk Workshop on ‘Strategies of Cancer Prevention in Gastroenterology', held in Mainz, Germany, on 17 September 2008. The meeting was a unique opportunity to assemble so many of the world's best experts to discuss the state of the art and future developments and challenges in cancer prevention in gastroenterology. Barrett's, gastric and colorectal cancer were the main topics, with cancer in inflammatory bowel disease as a particular subject. The overall impression of the meeting was the experience that in many countries of the world the strategies are similar with, of course, focus on different ways to reach the same goal of reducing incidence and cancer mortality. It was extremely stimulating to exchange new ideas and new concepts and to see what progress in public awareness has been made in different countries. Cancer prevention is and will continue to remain a major political as well as a genuinely medical task, to work for more convenient and useful programs and to carry the burden of broad acceptance. This workshop was another milestone on the long road towards this difficult goal. All those working in this important field will find in this book detailed information and instruction for their clinical and/or scientific activities.
