Customer Reviews

Choices in Breast Cancer Treatment: Medical Specialists and Cancer Survivors Tell You What You Need to Know (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)

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"Choices in Breast Cancer Treatment" is exactly what it promises. It provides the reader with succinct, objective and comprehensive information, as well as the individual guidance and helpful opinions of highly experienced breast cancer treatment specialists.

This is a thoughtfully constructed and remarkably instructive book that does not talk down to patients. It is written by medical and surgical experts in clear and specific language that is understandable to patients, their families, to interested lay readers as well as family practice doctors and other medical service providers who may wish to brush up on the latest treatment concepts and choices in breast cancer.

The reader is also provided not only with numerous, clear illustrations, but reports by patients themselves about their own experiences and perspectives which put a human face on cancer.

In short, this book provides the comprehensive views of medical and surgical specialists as well as fellow patients who communicate meaningfully with you, the interested reader. This 400 page volume is not only a paperback bargain, but an educational public service for patients, their caring friends and families, or for anyone humanly involved or interested in this all too common cancer.
M.Heller, M.D. Haverford, PA

When I was a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient a year ago, I found two books that were very useful: Breast Cancer Survival Manual, Fourth Edition: A Step-by-Step Guide for the Woman With Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer and Straight Talk About Breast Cancer from Diagnosis to Recovery. 3rd ed. Omaha, Neb. : Addicus Books, 2007. $15.95 new. I prefer either of them to this book, which has so many anecdotes, that the factual information is sort of lost. If you want emotional support, this could be useful. If you want information, not so much.

It's a great sign of the times that there has been so much research pushing the advancement of breast cancer research where there are so many treatments available - but it creates another problem in itself where it isn't fully clear which treatment is right for you and your needs. "Choices in Breast Cancer Treatment: Medical Specialists and Cancer Survivors Tell You What You Need to Know" tells you that every case is unique and that there is no one singular correct treatment for the frightening disease. It discusses each of the possibilities and the pros and cons of each. Highly recommended to every women who is fearful and intimidated by the sheer number of options set in front of them, and for community library health shelves in general.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book is a must read for anyone faced with the new diagnosis of breast cancer. This book addressed the majority of our most pressing concerns in depth, but with ease of understanding. Yes, I even sent a copy to the doc so that he could refer it to new patients.

This book goes through various treatment methods, and provides a clear understanding of what to do next. This is a great read and great resource.

Among other things this book is good by having the different chapters concerning cancer written by educated person who actual work with this. And besides in the end of the book having more than 100 sides written by patients about their own cases. And having these stories divided up into different chapters with different digress of breast cancer and besides between normal patients and patients who themselves was or still are cancer specialist in the hospital and was used to look at cancer from the side of science.

And in these stories from the persons working in the hospital it's interesting also reading about cases first discovered as they were in the stage IV. And about women who didn't want to get chemotherapy or hormonal therapy even though they were discovered as being in the case IV and told only having the 30 % chances to survive. And even in one case a women who still didn't accept to start taking pills after the cancer returned and having the second surgery done only 1 year after the first one, and then 10 years later still living!

And in the book there for example are many good drawings, and explanations, concerning breast reconstruction after mastectomy. For my wife the Thailand doctors 5 weeks ago made the mastectomy surgery, that is removed the complete actual breast, even though she nearly had the absolute mildest possibly breast case as it only was in case T1b, that is with the tumor, only being 8 mm, and nothing else. And neither rebuilding the breast, nor before the surgery wanted to talk about rebuilding.

There are many details in the book, and among them something I've not yet discovered in other books, that is that women drinking 1 glass of vine each day increases the chance of getting breast cancer by 7 %. A rather high number when we compare it to that in some cases, found in different books, the pills against breast cancer will only reduce the chance of getting breast cancer to half the that is to 7 - 9 %, and in other cases only to 1 - 4 %. That is dependent on how severe the cancer case was before the surgery and starting taking the pills. And among other on side it's 84 written "Options include no additional treatment, if the risk is low, or chemotherapy or hormonal therapy". Reading this, and the cases mentioned with women having cases IV, and not taking pills, then for me it look strange that the Thailand doctors concerning my wife only having T1N0M0, that is case I, then after the surgery ordered her to taking Femara for the following 5 years. And thereby as a result maybe will be getting more problems than help from the pills.