The Complete Cancer Survival Guide: Everything You Must Know and Where to go For State-Of-The-Art Treatment of the 25 Most Common Forms of Cancer. [Paperback]

Peter Teeley (Author), Philip Bashe (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0385486057 | ISBN-13: 978-0385486057 | Publication Date: April 2000 | Edition: 1

Diagnosis * Staging * Treatment Options * Procedures and Medications * Clinical Trials

When you are fighting for your life, you must be sure to know your enemy and have at your disposal the most effective weapons there are. Peter Teeley and Philip Bashe provide a complete arsenal of absolutely essential information for anyone diagnosed with cancer.

Drawing on the advice and information provided by dozens of top specialists at all the major cancer centers in the United States, The Complete Cancer Survival Guide provides the most up-to-date, cutting-edge information available on how each of the 25 most common forms of cancer is diagnosed and staged, what the most advanced treatments are, and where to go throughout the country to be sure that the care you receive is absolutely the best there is.


In down-to-earth language, THE COMPLETE CANCER SURVIVAL GUIDE maps out a practical game plan for obtaining the best care available. Drawing on advice provided by dozens of top specialists at all of the major cancer centers around the United States, the authors provide the most up-to-date information on which to base decisions about where to seek treatment and to make sense of the many therapy choices that may seem at odds with one another.

THE COMPLETE CANCER SURVIVAL GUIDE is a bible on which to rely not only for learning about how to navigate the health-care maze and obtain the best care, but also for learning how to best care for yourself--physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. -->

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

At age 51, Peter Teeley, former press secretary to George Bush, was given a 50-50 chance of surviving his stage III colon cancer. Like most newly diagnosed cancer patients, he knew little about the disease and less about possible treatments. He tenaciously sought out information and saved his own life. Now he and medical writer Philip Bashe spare others from having to start their own cancer treatment investigation from scratch.

"When faced with the most critical consumer decision of their lives, the majority of cancer patients accept without question the recommendation of the doctor who diagnosed the disease," write the authors. "Eighty-five percent of the time, that person is not an oncologist, a specialist in the detection and treatment of cancer." This leads to a substantial risk of substandard care, according to the National Cancer Policy Board.

The solution? Take charge, with the help of the comprehensive information here. Learn all you can about your disease, its staging and treatments (25 different cancers are covered here). Seek out clinical trials. Get an independent second opinion. Investigate cancer-treatment facilities. Learn about medications for pain and nausea. Learn how dietary changes, stress management, and support services can help you. Make your medical insurance work for you. There's an immense amount of practical, clearly written, well-organized, illustrated information in this book, and it's enhanced by anecdotes from Teeley's personal story. Everything you need is here: lists of top cancer centers and support groups (with phone numbers and Web sites), definitions of all terms, instructive charts and boxes, questions to ask, questions you're likely to be asked, and a ton of information about how you can help yourself.

Everything You Must Know and Where to Go for State-of-the-Art Treatment of the 25 Most Common Forms of Cancer declares The Complete Cancer Survival Guide's cover, and this 950-page book lives up to its claim. The foreword is by former president George Bush, whose daughter died of pediatric leukemia. --Joan Price

From Publishers Weekly

Teeley, a cancer survivor, offers an indispensable guide for patients and health-care professionals. Because of his friendship with then Vice-President George Bush, for whom he worked as press secretary, Teeley learned about an experimental trial at Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center. Teeley stresses that even without a connection, armed with research and the resources to ask questions, every cancer patient should be able to get the best available treatment. While he and Bashe (Cancer Free, etc.) cover everything from descriptions of different types of cancer to diagnosis terminology and treatment options, their material is clearly organized and eminently readable. There are many useful sidebars, including information on "medical terms you're likely to hear" and "examples of eligibility criteria for clinical trials." There are also lists of leading cancer centers around the country and suggested questions patients should ask their doctors. The book contains so much valuable information that physicians can use it with many patients, and most families would do well to set a copy on their bookshelf, alongside their Dr. Spock. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 992 pages
• Publisher: Main Street Books; 1 edition (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385486057
• ISBN-13: 978-0385486057
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 2 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,086,040 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and comprehensive "first choice" guide., June 25, 2000

By 

Tom Roberts - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Cancer Survival Guide: Everything You Must Know and Where to go For State-Of-The-Art Treatment of the 25 Most Common Forms of Cancer. (Paperback)

I am a cancer patient and this is the book I have been looking for. Encyclopedic yet concise and to the point, Teeley's treatment of strategies, treatment options and the biology of cancer sets a high standard. Useful summary boxes are distributed throughout each chapter, allowing the reader to get a quick overview of such topics as "Medical Terms You're Likely to Hear" / "Surgical Procedures" / "Drug Therapies" and related topics.

I found chapter 6 (State of the Art: Your Treatment Options) and Chapter 9 (Don't Neglect Your Emotional Health) especially useful...but EACH chapter is stuffed with information vital to an understanding of how to cope with cancer in the year 2000. This book does not have a dated or stale feel; the medical information is current. Numerous Web site addresses are included to help you get information and support.

Weighing in at close to 1000 pages (for a relatively modest price), I'll guess that this book will quickly become the standard cancer reference for the next few years.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Current Comprehensive Helpful, July 20, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Cancer Survival Guide: Everything You Must Know and Where to go For State-Of-The-Art Treatment of the 25 Most Common Forms of Cancer. (Paperback)

This book was well worth the small investment. With detailed referencing to take your researches even further, clear descriptions and helpful diagrams, helpful questions to ask your doctor about your disease and its treatments, it is a wonderful book. Aids in finding treatment centers near you with the latest treatments. Discussions about emotional health and insurance are also useful. Information drawn from top specialists makes this an authoritative book. Covers the top 25 cancers. Essential information.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a true lifesaver, March 14, 2005

By 

Lisa D. Lucas (OBX, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Cancer Survival Guide: Everything You Must Know and Where to go For State-Of-The-Art Treatment of the 25 Most Common Forms of Cancer. (Paperback)

The information we got from this book literally saved my mother's life. After being told the tumor seen in the CT scans of her pancreas was probably cancer, within 24 hours of getting the book and doing our research, we were in touch with the best physicians to deal with it. Now my 78 year old mother is Johns Hopkins' poster girl for pancreatic cancer survival... three words that aren't often used together. I'll always have a version of this book in my possession.