Review
When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, it had already metastasized to her lungs, liver, bones and brain, so when her cheery oncologist explained she'd be getting chemotherapy, I naturally asked why; his less than candid reply was, "We're going to beat this thing!". There came a day when this same oncologist declared her terminally ill, and promptly lost all interest in her and patience with me. When I tell this story to illustrate the misinformation and dehumanizing treatment many women receive from their doctors, those hearing it often believe this is an unusual or isolated experience. In Patient No More, Sharon Batt (a breast cancer survivor) calls this dynamic the fear and cheer filter, where the reality of cancer is replaced by unrealistically optimistic assessments of various treatments. Sharon looks at what she rightfully names the breast cancer industry to explore how so little real progress has been made in our understanding and treatment of cancer. In the process, she exposes the role played by the medical community, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, government researchers and regulators, the media and various purveyors of popular culture, and even cancer charities, in creating a self-serving system of diagnosis and treatment. The value of this book lies not just in its expose of the politics of breast cancer, but in its call for women to become actively involved in defining the future of cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. -- From The WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women; review by Patricia Pettijohn
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
As a patient with no medical training, I was initially intimidated by disagreements among medical camps. How could I possibly have an opinion when experts disagreed? When I looked at breast cancer treatments in a historical and social context, however, I found recurring themes which reflected values, vested interests and world views.
