Assess Your True Risk of Breast Cancer (Paperback)

~ Patricia T. Kelly Ph.D. (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Ask any woman what disease she fears most, and chances are she'll say, "breast cancer." Health-conscious women wonder how much their risk is increased if they eat fat, go on hormone replacement therapy, use birth control pills, have a family member with breast cancer, and so on. "This book is designed to give you a clear, useful understanding about what your breast cancer risks really are--not the same endlessly repeated statistics that leave you bewildered, but solid, dependable information that actually makes sense," promises author Patricia T. Kelly, Ph.D.

Assess Your True Risk of Breast Cancer lives up to that promise. Kelly, a medical geneticist who specializes in cancer risk assessment and counseling, shows you how to analyze statistics, put your breast-cancer risk into perspective, and take the most appropriate steps for your personal situation. As factual as her information is, she never neglects the important emotional component, which she calls "the human part." She illustrates her points with anecdotes and moving quotes from women about their feelings and experiences. Even when she's explaining something as complicated as interpreting your risk from statistics, she makes analogies and relates discussions with her clients to make the information easier to understand. She also presents some reassuring facts that we don't usually hear: "When a breast cancer is found before it reaches a little less than half an inch in size, it is almost never life threatening," and "Most women who have a close relative with breast cancer will never be diagnosed with this disease," for example.

Kelly reviews major studies on hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer, concluding that HRT taken at menopause does not increase the risk of breast cancer, and shows you how to interpret studies. She also explains in detail cancer cell development, noncancer cell growths, genetic testing, and much more medical information. Depending on your interest and need, you may not want to read every chapter (and you don't have to), but there's so much value in the chapters you choose that you'll be glad you purchased this book. --Joan Price

From Publishers Weekly

Although there's a great deal of new information about breast cancer, Kelly, a medical geneticist and cancer specialist, recognizes that there is also "little or no clarity or help for a woman trying to use [that] information to make decisions." Debunking information that is misleading, sensational or just plain out of date, Kelly attempts to put accurate knowledge in the hands of women so they can make intelligent decisions about their breast health. She offers examples of various (and sometimes contradictory) studies on breast cancer risk to clarify the popular statistics (e.g., 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer). Her prime concern is the difference between relative risk and absolute risk (the latter includes a time frame, and actual risk numbers are much lower). In fact, Kelly's data imply that very few women are at high risk of getting breast cancer, whatever their family or personal history. She mentions various kinds of "noncancers" (DCIS and LCIS) along with genetic testing. She even considers hormone replacement therapy, saying it has little overall effect on women's risk of contracting breast cancer (even for women already diagnosed). But despite the wealth of data and analyses, or perhaps because of it, this volume is not quite as accessible as the author might wish. Her discussion of statistics, for example, can be daunting, and most readers will need to be review it more than once. Nonetheless, those willing to grapple with the occasionally academic writing will find valuable advice here.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Owl Books; 1 edition (October 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805064680
• ISBN-13: 978-0805064681
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #607,798 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Succinct & thorough review of breast cancer risk factors, October 10, 2000

By	M. Ellen Mahoney (Arcata, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dr. Kelly has written a wonderful book which every woman concerned about breast cancer risk, and every health professional who cares for them, should read. In Dr. Kelly we not only have an acknowledged expert in her field, but one who is both thorough and also able to express herself very clearly. In a calm, reasoned way she cites the major literature in this field and dissects it for the intelligent lay person.Away from the sound bites and buzz phrases that spout from the popular media and the self-proclaimed gurus on this topic, she presents an up-to-date analysis of what is really known about breast cancer risk. I recommend this book highly. M. Ellen Mahoney, M.D.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for All Women, March 21, 2002

By	schuck (San Carlos, CA USA) - See all my reviews

When you're diagnosed with breast cancer, the first thing you learn is that confusion and disagreement abound in the medical community, regarding both risk and treatment. Deciding on the right course of treatment, therefore, can be a frustrating experience.

Patricia Kelly arms you with information, dispelling the myths and rumors most of us have heard about cancer. She makes sense of mind-numbing data and statistics, presenting them in a way that is understandable and clear. Twice in ten years, Patricia has helped me sort through study findings, assess my own risk, and base my treatment decisions on fact, rather than feeling. If you're wondering about breast cancer risk, her book will do the same for you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Your risk of getting breast cancer is lower than you think, May 1, 2001

By A Customer

Every woman should read this book, especially if she has been diagonosed with a controversial "precancerous" condition such as atypical hyperplasia, DCIS or LCIS. Dr. Kelly presents a very readable, up-to-date review of the most important medical research on these problems. A patient who has a critical understanding of the material in this book may very well be more informed than her doctors. She could gain the confidence to say "no" to an unnecessary mastectomy, or to other harsh and disfiguring treatments that are recommended for a problem that may never pose a threat to her life.