Product Description
A unique guide, like none other on the market-packed with medical information, practical tips, psychological insight, and coping strategies-to help men help the women they love through this trying time.

When Marc Silver became a breast cancer husband three years ago, he learned firsthand how frightened and helpless the breast cancer husband feels. He searched in vain for a book that would give him the information and advice he so desperately sought. Now this award-winning journalist has compiled just the kind of emotionally supportive and useful resource that he wished he had been able to consult-to give men the tools they need to help their wives, their families, and themselves through this scary, uncertain time.

In his years as a consumer journalist and veteran of the News You Can Use staff at U.S. News & World Report, Marc Silver learned what kind of information and advice on medical crises readers found most valuable. He draws on that experience as he covers in depth all the issues couples coping with breast cancer will have to face during diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. Highlights include:
- The shared experiences of other breast cancer husbands
- Guidance from top cancer doctors in the country
- Advice on when, how, and what to tell your young children
- Tips on coping with radiation and chemotherapy
- A candid discussion of sex and intimacy following breast cancer surgery

More than 200,000 women are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. At last, with this book, the men who love them have a road map to help them through a difficult and unprecedented journey.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Excellent resource for us guys.
This book is written by a guy, for guys.If your wife (or girlfriend) has just been diagnosed with breast cancer, your life is about to change dramatically.Marc Silver has provided us an excellent resource on how to deal with it, what to do (LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN!), and what to expect.We are just starting out our treatment journey -- I feel much better prepared now that I have this book.

Much needed
Every husband and even grown children needs to read this. It made me, the pasient also feel "normal". If you know a husband, buy it and give it to him. The cancer woman will thank you, I am sure!!

Hubby wanted this!
I originally requested this book from my library for my husband.When it was time to return it, I asked him if he'd want a copy.He said that although he'd already read it that it would be nice to have it.This book is written by a guy for guys.I haven't read it at all but from what hubby took away from it, its well worth it!I HIGHLY recommend that any man that cares about a woman going through breast cancer not only get this book but that they read it from cover to cover & live it!

WONDERFUL RESOURCE
This is a wonderful resource. I first saw it mentioned on AOL with extensive comments and came to Amazon to buy a couple of copies for the Infusion Center at UCSF (U. of CA, San Francisco). I am not a husband of a breast cancer patient/survivor/victim but appreciate the enormous trying times of all involved. I drove a friend for a year or so for her treatments while watching her die slowly. It profoundly affected me. In Vietnam, I knew some brave individuals but don't think they're in the same galaxy with those battling breast cancer.As the book points out: it takes over lives, rearranges priorities,and just about "does in" all involved. And, this book, written for husbands and other supportive types is "right on" with topics not usually discussed. I'm immediately getting a copy to give a husband whose wife told me that from the moment she was diagnosed, he's not touched her. In addition to needing his arsh kicked, which I'm thinking of doing, this book might shape him up--the comments on intimacy and touch are so "right on." In fact, I'm emailing an oncologist friend the comments about the discussing of intimacy question. Not sure he does it. The author is candid and I could feel the pathos in what he had to say. This is not just writing for him, this is emotion. Brothers: A Somewhat True MemoirGeneral William C. Lee: Father of the Airborne : Just Plain BillGun Totin' Chaplain

Very beneficial book for me as husband of new B.C. patient
My wife ordered this book for me based on Amazon reviews she read.It is exceptionally helpful.I read it thoroughly, highlighting portions, and then began obeying the author's suggestions.Great conversation aid, plus my wife was delighted by the attitude and actions changes I made.Highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description

Ending on an encouraging note, Link writes, "Youshould know that most women today are cured of breast cancer. Theyundergo treatment, become survivors, and go on with their lives. Buthaving breast cancer is certainly a wake-up call to many and may befor you. Life now has added uncertainty." This step-by-step manualhelps you navigate the uncertainty and become a survivor, bothphysically and psychologically. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

A MUST HAVE FOR ALL NEWLY DIAGNOSED BREAST CANCER WOMEN
THIS BOOK IS EASY TO READ AND VERY INFORMATIVE - I ONLY WISH I HAD PURCHASED THIS BOOK EARLIER.

Clear and concise! Very solid information! Useful and encouraging!
I was impressed upon reading this book which details all the necessary diagnostic steps in living with breast cancer and how to battle and survive it.With breast cancer being a number one concern and evident in the family tree, this book has been encouraging and enlightening to cope, but with solid information, this book will help answer many questions, causes, and treatments clearly and consisely!

Good, Straightforward Information
Good straightforward information from diagnosis to treatment options that covers the medical/technical aspects as well as the human/emotional component.

Helpful, informative and worthy of your time.
Clear, concise and poignant.I particularly like the diet and supplement section, along with the fact that this book is not stuck in a time-warp and is updated regularly with current standards of treatment (I couldn't help but notice people started posting reviews back in 1998 and I have a late 2007 version).

This is just what I needed to help me understand/get through what is going on, why chemo is indicated, what to expect and how I can be actively participating in my care and wellness (now and in the future).Wonderfully helpful!

A very helpful book
This book was very informative after I was diagnosed with cancer of the breast. It describes in detail the types of cancer infiltrating the breast tissue and steps needed for treatment. Also recommended diet and exercise is included. This book is a must when dealing with this disease. ... Read more

Product Description

Your support group in a book, filled with boundless strength and profound hope - until the fight is won.

Along with the shock, fear and loss many women face upon a breast cancer diagnosis comes unexpected strength, wisdom, and strong networks of sharing, support and healing. In Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor's Soul, survivors and their family members talk openly about how difficult their fight with breast cancer has been and how they made it through the dark times with a belief in a higher power and the support of those closest to them.

Find strength in the encouraging stories of how family members confront their fears and show genuine affection for one another through gestures such as a granddaughter cutting the hair off of all her dolls so that they will look more like her grandma, who is bald from chemotherapy, and the gentle touch of a three-year-old son on his mother's back giving comfort to his sick mommy, and a husband who shows his wife the depth of his love during a weekend getaway after she heals from a total mastectomy.
Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivors Soul will show you the beautiful side of the human spirit and spark the optimism sometimes lost in the mist of an illness. It is for everyone with breast cancer and everyone who loves someone touched by the disease.

Customer Reviews (15)

Chicken Soup does it again!
I purchased Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor just because I purchase anything and everything related to Breast Cancer as I am a survivor.... Was I surprised and pleased at the quality of material included in this book.I read a story a day, allowing myself to ponder and really, really think about them.Good job, Chicken Soup....A excellent book to read....for survivors and co-survivors alike.

Short, Uplifting Stories for Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors
Beautiful collection of stories that will make you smile, and bathe you in hope. Easy reading for when you feel like you can only manage a few pages at a time. If you are going through treatments or recovering from surgery, this book will feel like a lifesaver for you!

--- Anne Marie Bennett, author of Bright Side of the Road: A Spiritual Journey Through Breast Cancer

Chicken Soup for the Soul
The Breast Cancer Survivor Book from Chicken Soup for the Soul was a much appreciated gift for a friend who is starting radiation and chemo therapy treatments and will read comforting stories in the hospital waiting rooms.

Good gift
Gave it as a gift for mother-in-law.Not sure, but I think she likes it.A little had for her though I think to look back.

Filled with heartfelt stories
What makes this book so amazing are all of the wonderful, heartfelt stories, told by people who have undergone so many hardships with Breast Cancer. A must read for those affected by breast cancer. ... Read more

Product Description
Breast cancer prevention for women of all ages, with the unique perspective of a pediatrician specializing in adolescent health. This year, close to 190,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United States alone. Would you like to learn how to take yourself out of the group most likely to get that news? You can... with choices that are easily within your grasp. Start today! Written by a pediatrician with a passion for prevention, all women, even teens, will find Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk with Foods You Love is clearly written and straight to the point. The guidelines recommended will have the greatest impact when started in the preteen years, but it is never too late to reduce your risk. One section is devoted to healthy eating strategies for women who are in treatment or breast cancer survivors. In this simple to follow and easy to read guide, Robert Pendergrast, MD will show you: Specific actions that are known to reduce risk, An overall diet plan, 10 specific foods which are powerhouses of prevention, A guide to avoiding toxins in foods and the environment, and An integrative approach to health and wellness. Carefully researched with scientific citations at every step, Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk with Foods You Love is an easy to read practical guide women of all ages can enjoy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Breast Oncologist's View
As a breast medical oncologist, I have been caring for breast cancer patients for nearly 9 years in the academic setting, and this is a great book that provides a fair and balanced approach to the oft ignored subject of diet and cancer risk. Dr. Prendergast provides well-researched and well-referenced recommendations for anyone who is looking to reduce their cancer risk. Dr. Prendergast uses archived data that is based on scientific method and is from controlled clinical trials whenever possible, making these lifestyle modifications as close to medically sound as possible. These guidelines on eating foods that are healthy are also reasonably "doable" in the aim of reducing one's risk of developing cancer or recurrent cancer. This book is an outstanding resource for breast cancer patients and their family alike. I highly recommend it and will be directing my patients to it, to help them through their treatments.

Refreshing and Welcome
In an age when the average physician receives little if any training in nutrition, Dr. Pendergrast breaks from the pack and devotes his entire book to the nutritional foundations of good health. While most doctors reach for a prescription pad, Dr. Pendergrast reaches for his pen--not to push pharmaceuticals but to empower women. His focus is on prevention, on true health care instead of disease management as it is too often practiced today.

His writing style is both informative and casual. He documents his statements with a great deal of research. His gentle humor is sprinkled throughout and his passion for true health care is evident on every page. Dr. Pendergrast has written a book that is both timely and necessary. Get this book for yourself or for the women in your life.

Breast Cancer
I love the fact that in SC we have brave ,brilliant doctor who dares to educate and motivate patient empowerment .
Trying to do better is not doing,doing better can not be accomplished without self care in action and intelligent choices through education.SC requiresthat awakening-tx.

Amazing, Life-saving information!!!
This book is timely and overdue in my opinion.For years, I've been thinking that the foods are already out there that will reduce our risk for disease.Finally, someone has captured this information in an easy to understand format.My maternal grandmother died of breast cancer at age 47.I've been getting mammograms since I was in my 20's.This disease WILL NOT come to me at all.I am convinced with proper care and diet, we can prevent many things from entering our bodies.This book is very well written and has life changing information that EVERY woman should know.This book will be THE Christmas gift you should give every woman in your life if you love them!!!Enjoy!

Reduce Your Risk With Food You Love
I have received and am well into reading this amazing book by Dr. Pendergrast. It excites me to know that I am giving my body it's best defense against this disease by eating certain foods. I have always been very conscious of the foods I eat, now it is even more important for me to make choices every day that will decrease my chance of having breast cancer.

It is great to have all this information in an easy to read, to the point format. What should I eat, is exercise important, and what should I avoid??....the answers are in this one book. AND for those who have had breast cancer, there is some useful information for you also. I am so aware of certain actions I can take to reduce the risk and I have the "10 specific foods which are powerhouses of prevention."Thank you Dr. Pendergrast ... Read more

Product Description

The only breast cancer recovery program designed by a Harvard doctor and survivor and approved by the American Council on Exercise (ACE)

Feel healthy again. Regain control of your life.

Exciting new research reveals that regular exercise can reduce the chance of breast cancer recurrence and extend your life. Exercise can also help you recover energy, strength, and flexibility diminished by lifesaving breast cancer treatments.

Customer Reviews (12)

great book!
The stretching exercises in this book helped me restore full range of motion in my shoulders and arms in a very short period of time after surgery.I had been doing the exercises in the little pamphlet given to me by the surgeon, but those exercises did not seem to be producing the results I wanted.I could barely lift my arms over my head to wash my hair.It was immediately obvious from the first stretches I did, that those from the book were exactly what I needed.I like that the book has somewhat different exercises and stretches for different types of breast surgery and alternative ways of accomplishing them based on an individual's abilities and limitations.It also has really good explanations and descriptions (and illustrations) of the various surgeries.I highly recommended the book to my surgeon and occupational therapist.If you've had breast surgery, get this book and get moving.

The Breast Cancer Survior's Fitness Plan
This is the most informative book I found on physicaly recovering from mastectomy.It is full of information on excercises you can do after to help you recover faster with less complications.I wish I had found it before my surgery.You are sent home with instructions on what not to do but nothing on what you can do. I also bought a copy for my surgeon.The more you know the better you will do.

Excellent primer for cancer patients
My wife is currently undergoing treatment and this excellent text provides much valuable information to assist her in her recovery. This is a higly recommended "how to" book filled with practical fitness ideas and approaches, written by people who know whereof they speak. Buy it!

Very helpful information and exercises
I received this book 2 days after I ordered it and did not use fast delivery.I had my mastectomy 9/11 and I was not told about exercising until last week.Then I could not get into the therapy program until Dec 23.I have really been hurting and lots of fluid.I finally went on line and learned about exercising before I ordered this book.In the last hour - I have learned so much.Also the exercise pictures really shows you what to do.By the time I get to therapy - I hope to be doing well.I rate this book an 5 plus.

Good book
This is a great book that gives a lot of accurate information. I found that if you already have breast cancer, a lot of this information is duplicate from what you can get at any good cancer center for free, but it is all combined into one book rather than tons of brochures. It's a good reference and when everyone around you has an opinion, you can go to this book for the right answers. Would make a great gift for a newly diagnosed patient. ... Read more

Product Description

Bestselling author Barbara Delinsky, whose life has been shaped by her mother's breast cancer as well as her own, creates with this book exactly the resource she wished she had for herself during her treatment: one that is filled with the helpful tips -- both practical and inspiring -- that only the women who have already been there can tell us about. Here, readers can find answers to such questions as: Are there certain foods that really satisfy on treatment days? How do I address my surgery with my coworkers? Will I still feel feminine? And what about a sex life? Warm and reassuring, Uplift arms readers with the various means by which countless women diagnosed with breast cancer have faced their fears, survived their illness, and bravely gotten on with life and love, career and family.

All of the author's proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to breast cancer research.Amazon.com Review
A book as uplifting as the disease it discusses is tragic, Uplift is an inspiring collection of voices of breast cancer survivors. Barbara Delinsky, author of The Woman Next Door and other novels, and herself a survivor of breast cancer, presents inspirational snippets from more than 300 women sharing breast cancer tips and experiences. Reading this book is like listening to the friendly hubbub of a crowd of women all offering advice and comments. They share practical tips about comfortable clothing after mastectomy, treatments for radiation burns, nausea remedies, wigs, advice for friends, and more. They share stories of supportive husbands, boyfriends, and family members who continue to love them. "I will love you till the day I die, whether you have one breast or none," says one husband. "Breasts don't laugh, smile, share brilliance, or give kindness," says another man. Every experience is positive and supportive, but not gushy. The humor chapter will make you laugh aloud.

Delinsky envisioned this book as "the support group that I had never joined but could have used, the one that offered all the practical little secrets of survival that have nothing to do with doctors, machines, or drugs and everything to do with women helping women." She succeeds. (Delinsky is donating all her earnings on this book to breast cancer research.) --Joan Price ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Uplifting
A good book to bring you to grips upon receiving devastating news-word for thoughts were strong --recommend for anyone to read

Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors
This is a very good book. When you are going thru the Doctors appointments and treatment you need all the uplifting and support you can get rather it be by reading, friends and family. This book was one of the uplifting tools used.

Neicy's review
The product came in great shape and I am really enjoying reading it.. The delievery was fast also.

Uplift:Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors
While dealing with breast cancer I found this book's presentation of information "just right".Each person's sharing was succinct, to the point and in laymen's terms.I also appreciated the book's organization into pertient sections about dealing with cancer.It became my resource book when questions arose.

Book Review
I did not order this book for myself. It was for a friend and she told me that she enjoyed it. The book was in excellent condition and the service by the shipper was fantastic. Was received within the time frame that I was told. ... Read more

Product Description
As women quickly discover, their life when treatment ends is very different from what it was before their diagnosis. Often exhausted, anxious, and emotionally volatile, they are beset by physical discomforts, fearful of intimacy, afraid for their children, worried about recurrence. Anticipating a return to “normalcy,” they discover that the old version of normal no longer applies.

There could be no more knowledgeable guide for women embarking on this complicated journey than Hester Hill Schnipper, who is herself both an experienced oncology social worker and a breast cancer survivor. This comprehensive handbook provides jargon-free information on the wide range of practical issues women face as they navigate the journey back to health, including:

•Managing physical problems such as fatigue, hot flashes, and aches and pains

•Handling relationships: your children, your partner, your parents, your friends.

•How to regain emotional and sexual intimacy

•Coping with financial and workplace issues

•Genetic testing: why, whether, when

•How to move beyond the fear of recurrence

•And much more

This indispensable book will help you rediscover your capacity for joy as you move forward into the future—as a survivor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

A Must-Read
For those breast cancer patients finishing treatment or who have finished treatment, I highly recommend After Breast Cancer: A Common-Sense Guide to Life After Treatment by Hester Hill Schnipper. This book is filled with excellent information on what to expect after breast cancer treatment.

Many valuable books have been written on being diagnosed with breast cancer and what it is like to undergo treatments. But Schnipper's After Breast Cancer is necessary for people who have lived through treatments and now must face the very difficult post-breast cancer world.

And she should know. An oncology social worker who has worked for years helping women through breast cancer psychosocial support programs, the author found herself diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and a second primary breast cancer in 2005. Being on the clinician and patient sides of the spectrum, Schnipper was the perfect person to write this book.

This step-by-step primer on coping after breast cancer offers information and tips on navigating life after breast cancer diagnosis and treatments -- from the first few weeks after treatment ends to the first few months -- as well as physical and emotional recovery, fertility issues with young breast cancer survivors, and various work and family issues that survivors face.

The book reads beautifully, thanks to Schnipper's easy-flowing writing style. I couldn't put it down, and even though I have been out of treatment for years, the book resonated deeply with me. As a breast cancer survivor, I know first-hand the post-cancer fears and vulnerability the author writes about.

This book works as a type of support system for those facing a post-cancer life. Readers who are finishing treatment or have finished treatment will find this book immensely helpful and will feel that they are not alone: For many survivors, the hardest part of the breast cancer experience is acclimating to a world that mistakenly believes that once breast cancer and its treatments are "over," that it's really all "over," and the breast cancer survivor should now return to "normal."

The truth is, life after cancer is exceedingly difficult -- physically and emotionally -- and the author has the courage, honesty, and integrity to focus on this important topic.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the beautiful, touching foreward by the author's husband, Lowell E. Schnipper, a medical oncologist at the same hospital that the author works at: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Dr. Schnipper's foreward was so moving, it brought me to tears. As a physician and the husband of a breast cancer patient and now-survivor, he is on the professional and personal side of the breast cancer spectrum, and I cannot think of a better person to have written this foreward.

After Breast Cancer: A Common-Sense Guide to Life After Treatment is a must-read for those facing the aftermath of breast cancer. The book helps readers understand how to better make the transition from patient to survivor.

-- Beth L. Gainer, "Calling the Shots," [...].

A Must Have After Cancer Treatment
I was so happy to come across this book. I have received many uplifting emails from an online support group that the author of this book is head of, very helpful. So to find this book that she had written, and to find out that she is a 2 time survivor of breat cancer, it was two real. I found the book very helpful, now I know that many of the things I have been feeling is completly normal once you complete active treatment. I'm not going crazy! So for anyone out there who need help in understanding the next leg of the Cancer Jounery, this book is a must HAVE!!!!!!!! I would highly recommed it to all!!!!!!!

After Breast Cancer
I have purchased 9 books since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. This one book covered it all and is now my bible. Excellent read and so informative while touching the emotional issues that go with the challenges of BC. Must have for anyone diagnosed.

too fatalistic for Type A readers or those remaining realistic but positive
I bought this during the gap between my lumpectomy and chemo.I found it horribly depressing, with quotes like "you'll never be carefree again".Yes, there will be some changes in my lifestyle, but that's also true of diabetes and other diseases/conditions.
Her whole attitude seems to be "when" the cancer returns rather than "if", which is not how I intend to live the rest of my life, however long that may be.

Rings True, Says ChemoDIva
My sister just finished chemo and radiation for stage 3c breast cancer and this book, she says, is the best book she's read on the subject. Not all sunshine and roses, or something that is just too depressing for words. But like hearing from a good friend who is relating the same struggles that you are now going through. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (46)

Written by a chemo survivor and an oncologist
When a family member was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago and found out she'd have to go through chemotherapy, I ordered this book.It was a Godsend.It helped with all the practical things you need to know that the oncologist doesn't tell you, like what to bring along to chemotherapy sessions, little things other than the major anti-nausea drugs that can help with side effects, what will happen at the session and when, plus all kinds of other tidbits you probably never even thought to ask.There is a lot of very practical, down to earth information here.As a breast cancer survivor herself, the author knows the types of things you are curious about and presents them in plain, easy to understand everyday language.

This is a great book for anyone diagnosed with breast cancer and their caregivers.It's a book that I've bought for numerous people over the years because it was so helpful for us.

love this Book
I do not know what I would have done without this book. It explains so much.Because of thisbookI have understood everything the Dr tells me. First went through lumpectomy and 4 sentinal node removed, then I think 10 more lymph node removal. I have painGo pump and a drain. Now awaiting pathology report to see what treatment. Now am reading on all the treatment possibilities, and will understand when the Dr explains the next steps. This book is so uplifting and makes me smile and I feel good just reading it. thanks.

Just Get Me Through This
Those were my exact words when I found out I had Breast Cancer. The author is very knowledgeable and has good insight into how women deal with certain issues.I appreciated her approach and her humor.

Give me some sanity !
My wife( a cancer survivor) bought this for a friend who is undergoing various treatments.The friend was receiving advice-solicited and unsolicited-that ranged from ludicrous to "my cancer was worse than yours"....In any event, this book is wonderful for people who are experiencing emotions that are bewildering, frightening and hilarious at the same time.
If this fits your description, get this book now...it will prove to be objective and truly helpful as well as providing valuable everyday hints and tips on coping. A great read for a difficult situation( failing on more appropriate language)

Some cancers disappear untreated, study finds
Some cancers disappear untreated, study finds
By Gina Kolata
Published: Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Cancer researchers have known for years that it was possible in rare cases for some cancers to go away on their own. There were occasional instances of melanomas and kidney cancers that just vanished. And neuroblastoma, a very rare childhood tumor, can go away without treatment.

But these were mostly seen as oddities - an unusual pediatric cancer that might not bear on common cancers of adults, a smattering of case reports of spontaneous cures. And because almost every cancer that is detected is treated, it seemed impossible even to ask what would happen if cancers were left alone.

Now, though, researchers say they have found a situation in Norway that has let them ask that question about breast cancer. And their new study, to be published Tuesday in The Archives of Internal Medicine, suggests that even invasive cancers may sometimes go away without treatment and in larger numbers than anyone ever believed.

At the moment, the finding has no practical applications because no one knows whether a detected cancer will disappear or continue to spread or kill.

And some experts remain unconvinced.

"Their simplification of a complicated issue is both overreaching and alarming," said Robert Smith, director of breast cancer screening at the American Cancer Society.

But others, including Robert Kaplan, the chairman of the department of health services at the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles, are persuaded by the analysis.

The implications are potentially enormous, Kaplan said.

If the results are replicated, he said, it could eventually be possible for some women to opt for so-called watchful waiting, monitoring a tumor in their breast to see whether it grows. "People have never thought that way about breast cancer," he added.

Kaplan and his colleague, Dr. Franz Porzsolt, an oncologist at the University of Ulm, said in an editorial that accompanied the study, "If the spontaneous remission hypothesis is credible, it should cause a major re-evaluation in the approach to breast cancer research and treatment."

The study was conducted by Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, a researcher at the VA Outcomes Group in White River Junction, Vermont, and Dartmouth Medical School; Dr. Per-Henrik Zahl of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health; and Dr. Jan Maehlen of Ulleval University Hospital in Oslo. It compared two groups of women ages 50 to 64 in two consecutive six-year periods.

One group of 109,784 women was followed from 1992 to 1997.

Mammography screening in Norway was initiated in 1996. In 1996 and 1997, all were offered mammograms, and nearly every woman accepted.

The second group of 119,472 women was followed from 1996 to 2001. All were offered regular mammograms, and nearly all accepted.

It might be expected that the two groups would have roughly the same rate of breast cancers, either detected at the end or found along the way. Instead, the researchers report, the women who had regular routine screenings had 22 percent more cancers. For every 100,000 women who were screened regularly, 1,909 were found to have invasive breast cancer over six years, compared with 1,564 women who did not have regular routine screening.

There are other possible explanations, but researchers say that they are less likely than the conclusion that the tumors disappeared.

The most likely explanation, Welch said, is that "there are some women who had cancer at one point and who later don't have that cancer."

Dr. Barnett Kramer, director of the Office of Disease Prevention at the National Institutes of Health, said, "People who are familiar with the broad range of behaviors of a variety of cancers know spontaneous regression is possible," he said. "But what is shocking is that it can occur so frequently."

Although the researchers cannot completely rule out other explanations, Kramer said, "they do a good job of showing they are not highly likely."

A leading alternative explanation for the results is that the women having regular scans used hormone therapy for menopause and the other women did not. But the researchers calculated that hormone use could account for no more than 3 percent of the effect.

Maybe mammography was more sensitive in the second six-year period, able to pick up more tumors. But, the authors report, mammography's sensitivity did not appear to have changed.

Or perhaps the screened women had a higher cancer risk to begin with. But, the investigators say, the groups were remarkably similar in their cancer risk factors.

Smith, however, said the study was flawed and the interpretation incorrect. Among other things, he said, one round of screening in the first group of women would never find all the cancers that regular screening had found in the second group. The reason, he said, is that mammography is not perfect, and cancers that are missed on one round of screening will be detected on another.

But Welch said that he and his colleagues considered that possibility, too. And, he said, their analysis found subsequent mammograms could not make up the difference.

Kaplan is already thinking of how to replicate the result. One possibility, he said, is to do the same sort of study in Mexico, where mammography screening is now being introduced.

Donald Berry, chairman of the department of biostatistics at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, said the study increased his worries about screening tests that find cancers earlier and earlier.

Unless there is some understanding of the natural history of the cancers that are found - which ones are dangerous and which are not - the result can easily be more and more treatment of cancers that would not cause harm if left untreated, he said.

"There may be some benefit to very early detection, but the costs will be huge - and I don't mean monetary costs," Berry said. "It's possible that we all have cells that are cancerous and that grow a bit before being dumped by the body. 'Hell bent for leather' early detection research will lead to finding some of them. What will be the consequence? Prophylactic removal of organs in the masses? It's really scary."

But Dr. Laura Esserman, professor of surgery and radiology at the University of California, San Francisco, sees a real opportunity to figure out why some cancers go away.

"I am a breast cancer surgeon; I run a breast cancer program," Esserman said. "I treat women every day, and I promise you it's a problem. Every time you tell a person they have cancer, their whole life runs before their eyes.

"What if I could say, 'It's not a real cancer, it will go away, don't worry about it,"' Esserman said. "That's such a different message. Imagine how you would feel." ... Read more

Product Description
What do I do now? Why am I still so tired? Am I really cured? How do I reduce my risk of recurrence? Is it safe for me to get pregnant? How do I get rid of the hot flashes so I can sleep?  

This fully revised and updated second edition contains crucial information about these issues and more—including the revolutionary medical advances in follow-up testing, ongoing treatments, and recovery. With answers for everything from how to deal with hair loss and weight gain to finding online support groups and understanding healthy foods and supplements, Living Well Beyond Breast Cancer contains a greater depth and breadth of information in its enhanced chapters—plus all-new chapters that cover current treatment options and preventative tips for those at high risk for developing breast cancer.

Enhanced Chapters:
•    Tests: Peer, Poke, and Prod
•    After Mastectomy: Re-creating a Breast with or Without Surgery
•    Intimacy, Sex, and Your Love Life: Relieving Discomfort and Increasing Libido
•    A Child in Your Future: Fertility, Pregnancy, and Adoption
•    Reducing Your Risk: Living Well

All-New Information:
•    Pre-Survivors: Risks and Prevention
•    Thinking and Remembering: Clearing the Fog and Sharpening Your Mind
•    Bone Health: Weakness Explained and Strengthening Exercises
•    Sleep: Restoration and Renewal
 
With this book as your guide, you’ll have the tools not just to live beyond breast cancer, but to live well and well beyond this challenge in your life! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

great book
quite excellent in helping me and my wife negotiate the rapidly growing body of information. From dagnosis to surgery to treatment takes 2 to 3 weeks. A lot has to be figured out in a very short time. This book proved a valuable resource. Some pain is minimized, but i am sure it is different for all. The book was worth everypenny.

Important topic, well done, but...
I own this book and enjoyed reading it, even if I don't feel that I learned much of anything from it.It was comprehensive, well written, clearly explained aspects of life beyond the tense months of cancer treatment.All this was fine, but I've read a lot by now so don't know that I really needed it but am glad to have it by my bed anyway. ... Read more

Product Description
Breakthrough Strategies to Lower Your Risk...and Increase Your Chances of Recovery Breast cancer incidence has risen by 60 percent in the last fifty years. Conventional treatment protocols are simply not working-and they may even be harmful. In this book Dr. John Lee, an internationally renowned expert in natural hormones, teams up with breast cancer researcher Dr. David Zava to present a revolutionary hormone balance program to reduce your risk of breast cancer and help eliminate a recurrence if you already have the disease. Learn about: * Conventional HRT and ERT-how synthetic hormones may trigger cancer * The current breast cancer drugs that may hurt as much as they help-and why doctors use them anyway * Risk factors for breast cancer-including the long-term dangers of birth control pills * The unsettling truth about mammograms and radiation therapy * The remarkably protective benefits of natural hormones * The potential dangers in our homes, our water, and food. With its revolutionary program featuring natural progesterone, this book offers a progressive approach to hormone balance that is both eye-opening and empowering.Amazon.com Review
An informative and absorbing read for both medical practitioners and their patients, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer takes aim at "the breast cancer industry" with a barrage of thought-provoking ammunition.

The book is equal parts criticism and suggestion. Current health treatments, including HRT, receive serious condemnation, and authors John Lee and David Zava carefully provide plenty of medical research to back up claims that excessive estrogen is a main source of cancer-causing irregularities. While the names of all the different natural and synthetic hormones can get overwhelming for the lay reader, with perseverance your new vocabulary of terms like androstenedione, estradiol, and cortisol will enable you to communicate more effectively with your doctors. The authors credit these hormones not just with a role in cancer, but with culpability for everything from insomnia and acne to fatigue and migraines. A full chapter extols the virtues of natural progesterone cream, and urges women to order their own saliva tests for proper evaluation of their hormone levels.

Diet and exercise recommendations are simple, outlining reasons to limit fats, sugars, and meats while increasing vegetables and adding a multivitamin. These recommendations extend to adolescents and urge getting off the couch and beginning a gentle exercise program to women of all ages and in each stage of life. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

MUST read...
If you are a breast cancer patient, or someone you know has breast cancer, READ THIS BOOK!Although the information is slightly dated (first published in 2003 before the release of aromitase inhibitors), this book definitely provides important insight into the underlying biological reasons that MAY be the cause and/or promoters of breast cancer in some women.Fascinating read.

Dr. Lee was ahead of his time
Love this book. Lots of easy to understand information. Dr. Lee was in the forefront of many doctors with his ideas. Too bad most doctors just want to hand out pills rather than try to help women. I have purchased other books by Dr. Lee as well and they are all great.

Worth your time to read
This is one of those rare books that gives you what they know and not what they assume. Facts. Facts. Facts. If they don't know something they state that they don't know. If they do know something they share with you how they know it. I feel very comfortable trusting in what I read in this book. I do not have breast cancer but wanted to be informed as I am 45 years old. The more you know........

what your doctors dont tell you about cancer
I havent finish reading the book however, what I have read so far is quite interesting and very informative. Mo CT

WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT BREAST CANCER
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.AT THE TIME OF DIAGNOSIS, A WOMAN MUST ALREADY BE KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT BREAT CANCER SO SHE CAN MAKE INFORMED CONSENT, NOT JUST FLY ON BLIND FAITH IN A DOCTOR.A MUST READ ... Read more

Product Description
A breast cancer diagnosis is a scary experience, and women are often left feeling confused about their options, fearful of their future, and full of questions. Uniquely structured as a Q&A between patient and doctor, Breast Cancer: Real Questions, Real Answers provides you with an easily navigated, completely current resource for all of your questions. In compassionate and straightforward language, Dr. Chan, one of the nation’s leading specialists, discusses:
• What breast cancer is and why you have it
• Who should treat you and how to choose a medical team
• Your options for breast surgery and reconstruction
• How to select your surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy
• Lifestyle changes that could increase your chances of recovery
• Advice regarding symptoms, stress, clinical trials, and much more

Complete with firsthand stories from many of Dr. Chan’s patients and an appendix of useful resources, Breast Cancer: Real Questions, Real Answers is a trusted guide that you’ll refer to time and again during your struggle with breast cancer and on your road to recovery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Very Helpful Book
As a new breast cancer patient, I searched on Amazon for highly recommended books.This one was rated well and I agree with others - definitely worth buying and reading.

Breast cancer information
I highly recommend this book to any woman who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer.The author covers every subject and practically every question that one might have and answers them in a way that is not frightening or threatening, but extremely realistic.It is one of the best publications that I have on the subject in my personal library and continue to send it to anyone I know who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, no matter what stage.

Good book
I bought this book just a few days before my own surgery. I was thinking I wouldnt have enough time to read it. However I found this book extremely helpful. It is set up as question-- the answer, question-- the answer. Wish I would have had it the day I was diagnosed. This is the best book I have found with real, strait forward answers.
I have referred to it several times and know since my battle is not over, I will still be reading it.
Thank You to the authors!

Excellent reference book
More comprehensive than other options available.Very direct and to the point in answering touch questions.
Highly recommend it for all breast cancer survivors.

A Must Have Resource
I am currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer and was fortunate to have a friend who is a nurse oncologist who, when I contacted her to share my diagnosis, strongly recommended Dr. Chan's book.It has been 6 months since my diagnosis and I have read, re-read, tabbed and highlighted his book and as I am still fighting the fight, Dr. Chan's book continues to be the most important, comprehensive resource and reference for me in my "cancer library".The experience of reading his book is as if you are sitting in his office and you have unlimited time to blurt out all the questions that initially race through your mind when first diagnosed and the answers are all there for you.Then, as the initial fog that shrouds your mind when you first hear the words "breast cancer" dissipates and you become immersed in the new breast cancer lexicon, I have turned back to Dr. Chan's book to gain a better understanding of my disease and the treatments that have been presented. Further, this invaluable resource has helped my husband and I to organize and narrow the focus of what questions to prepare ourselves with for the many visits to the medical and surgical oncologists and reconstructive plastic surgeon.I cannot recommend this book enough-it speaks directly to patients of this awful disease in "layman's terms", and arms you with the information you need not only about the disease, but also who are the professionals you need to form your team to fight the disease. ... Read more

Product Description

Winner of two prestigious American Medical Writers Association awards

A compassionate guide to surviving breast cancer from a doctor who has experienced it from both sides of the stethoscope

In addition to being a leading national breast cancer expert and a highly respected cancer surgeon, Dr. Carolyn Kaelin also is a breast cancer survivor. In Living Through Breast Cancer she draws upon her experiences as both doctor and patient to offer you a priceless source of understanding, support, and guidance on coping with and beating breast cancer.

Dr. Kaelin's warm, authoritative guidance will help you:

• Understand your diagnosis and choose a care team
• Identify your treatment options and make informed decisions
• Look and feel your best during and after treatment
• Maintain good health after breast cancer
• Lower your chances of a recurrence of breast cancer

Customer Reviews (7)

Outstanding book
This is a fantastic book for anyone diagnosed with breast cancer. It is written by a BC surgeon who discovered she herself had BC. It's very readable for the lay person. Buy this for youself or give as a gift to someone you know who is probably frightened and overwhelmed after being diagnosed. I shipped this to a friend and she was so grateful.

Excellant book
Having been diagnosed with breast cancer this book was recommended to me by another friend who had breast cancer. This is the most thorough and informational book on this subject. I would highly recommend to any
woman diagnosed with breast cancer. Easy to understand and covers absolutely everything you would not think of on your own.

Great comprehensive book
This book was handed to me by a friend a few days after my diagnosis four years ago. I still refer to it from time to time, and always send it to friends when they are newly diagnosed.

It's comprehensive, straightforward, and not alarmist.Though it has personal stories in it, it is not sentimental or preachy.

It sets the right tone for a disease that is scary, but definitely survivable.

Living Through Breast Cancer
I also purchased this book the day after being diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. I remember how nervous I was bringing this to the counter at the book store. I wanted something that would walk me 'through' breast cancer not just survive it.

This book is excellent and covers what all those websites cover in easy to understand terms with hope not doom and gloom.

I suggest this to all who are diagnosed or who have a friend facing this journery.

This is THE book to have when you have breast cancer!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is, or wants to support someone who is, living through breast cancer.

I bought this book the day after I was diagnosed with breast cancer.I wanted a book that was the equivalent of the "What to Expect" books written for expectant and new parents.This book completely fit the bill.Dr. Kaelin's explanations of the science and lingo surrounding breast cancer and treatments are thorough and accessible.She also provides information about how you'll feel during and after surgery and treatment, what you'll need to have on hand to support your healing, and how to manage the side effects of treatment.

One of my favorite things about the book is that information regarding lumpectomy and mastectomy is separated, as is information regarding radiation therapy and chemotherapy.I really appreciated this, as I was having difficulty reading the websites that covered all this information all together--it was too scary.Having this information separated made it possible for me to read only what applies to my own situation, but I also know that I have the other information if I should need it.

The other great thing about this book is that the language is very carefully chosen to avoid references to struggling and fighting, but focuses instead on coping and living as well as you can during and after surgery and treatment.This positive approach is calming and reassuring to me.

... Read more

Product Description
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with breast cancer, you're probably confused, afraid, shocked, or even angry. Or you may be all of the above. Let this book become your trusted manual. Discover more about the cancer, explore treatment options, find ways to make this part of your life easier. Let shared experiences serve as your knowledgeable guide and anchor to help you make wise and confident choices.

Think of breast cancer as a journey and this book as your roadmap. Have you already been diagnosed? In that case, this book can help you explore these important truths:

• Breast cancer is not a death sentence. Most women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer can look forward to enjoying a healthy, full life.
• Not only are you unique as a person, but so, too, is your particular form of cancer, your treatment options, and your prognosis.
• Every day more is discovered about how to prevent, detect earlier, and more effectively treat breast cancer.
• You are not alone. More than two million women in the United States today are breast cancer survivors. Thousands of groups and programs across the country offer support, and chances are, one is close to your neighborhood.

All the information in this book is based on the most recent research findings, the clinical expertise of oncologists, and the invaluable experiences of the women who have walked this road before. Breast Cancer For Dummies covers all of the following topics and more in simple, easy-to-understand terms:

• Coming to grips with breast cancer
• Decoding your pathology report
• Finding the right treatment for you
• Rekindling intimacy after treatment
• Health Insurance and money woes
• Talking to children about breast cancer

This book can help you feel like you have a sister who's a doctor, a sister who tells you what to expect every step of the way, who gives you the best advice she can, and guides you along the way. (Of course, there is absolutely no replacement for advice about you from your own doctor.) You'll feel empowered to know and understand what's going on in your body, so that you can become a part of your own treatment team and make decisions along with your doctors and your family. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

What book?
It would be great to review this book; however I never received it.The person I purchased it for is still undergoing treatment, but no matter she will live on with out it.

Breast Cancer for Dummies
This book helped me by answering some of the questions I have about this horrible mess. It answered the questions as if someone was sitting beside me and we were talking about it.

A Good Primer for 4 1/2 Stars
This is a good book for a patient facing
breast cancer. The author cautions to get
a Board Certified cancer specialist,
second opinions and show up for follow-up
visits religiously. The book is written
in simple English without too much
medicalese. The presentation is a bit skimpy
on the nutritional dimensions and alternative
medicine. Dr. Burton Goldberg has the
"Definitive Guide" which has cancer protocols
with the attendant medical journal references.

The volume accomplishes the following:
o it assists in decoding the pathology report
o there are clear explanations of the stage of
each treatment milestone
o the actual chemo is explained and contrasted
o hormonal therapies are given
o the mastectomy types are explained
i.e. simple, skin sparing and prophylactic

The skin may feel tight in the post surgery.
This aspect may be aided by acupuncture,
rolfing or more advanced massage techniques.

Cancer survivors have specific things to do in
the post-operative period; namely,

o avoid sunburn
o use anti-biotic creams on cuts
o use a thimble for sewing
o keep nails moist with cream
o have blood drawn on the arm opposite the surgery
o wear gloves for household work involving chemicals
o use an electric shaver
o avoid excessive heat and treat burns immediately
o don't wear tight clothes
o utilize shoulder straps for support
o wear light bras
o never miss an appointment

Overall, the presentation is excellent.

Excellent!
Seller wrote a beautiful note and wrapped the book nicely. delivered quickly and in great condition. thank you

Some cancers disappear untreated, study finds
There are many people who cure (themselves) from cancer (and other diseases, for that matter). A few things they all seem to have in common:
They take responsibility for their health/sickness away from doctors or anyone else.
They get rid of negative feelings (like anger, grudge, helplessness and, most of all, by doing this, FEAR). In other words, they CHANGE their lifestyle (most of the time they also take control of what they eat - which is where this book comes in handy).
But most important (togheter with finding peace of mind):
They give their body TIME TO HEAL ITSELF!
Here's a few links for the interested:
[...]
And, for the brave, to take it a bit further (in terms of the cause of cancer):
http://germannewmedicine.ca

Hope this will be of help for a few people. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

The book every new breast cancer patient needs!
This is the ideal book for any new breast cancer patient.It provides just enough information regarding every topic you need to understand without being overwhelming.There are countless links to resources where someone can turn when they need to dive deeper.The ability to have all this information, along with space to take important notes, track progress/schedules/medications, and to jot down key questions is awesome!My husband WISHES he had something like this when he went through his prostate cancer experience.Well done!!

Great Resource
Just received a copy of The Breast Cancer Companion and it looks fantastic! You all must be so proud of this wonderful publication. I only wish something like this had been available when I was first diagnosed.It certainly would have greatly reduced the number of files that I managed to collect. It really is a gift of compassion and a fabulous resource. I plan to transcribe all my notes, post its and files into this journal. Thank you from all of us who have battled this disease.Anything which makes the process a little easier to manage, goes a long way in expediting both ones physical and mental well being.

The Breast Cancer Companion
Having gone through the breast cancer experience, i can honestly say that this book can guide one through what will probably be the scariest time of your life.I only wish it had been available for me.Step by step, Nancy and Valerie explain terms relating to diagnosis as well as treatments; give you a place to gather all your pertinent information so that you will always have it on hand and most of all give you tips from survivors.One of the most helpful things i did was to join a support group.The information i gathered from fellow survivors was invaluable in my own journey.This book will fit in your purse and you will never want to be without it.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A must have book for all who have endured hearing the words, "you have cancer"
An excellent book, a must read, must have.

Your self esteem does take a hit after breast cancer, during treatment and after treatment. Gina's book describes in great detail how to get it back. It's so important for us to remember, yes, we had breast cancer but it does not mean we are less then the women we were before we heard those words. I saw myself in the pages of the book, she is talking about me..

It's been a year since I finished my treatments....while it's true I am not taking any hormonal medications for my subtype of breast cancer(my cancer does not respond to them) I still suffered from hormonal imbalances, weight gain, fatigue and a low libido during and after my treatments.
I am now taking an active part in regaining my self confidence, through exercise, diet,and many of the other suggestions in Gina's book. I am happy to say, I am doing great and feeling stronger everyday.
My husband loves and appreciates the book too..he says, "the personal story of that woman's husband really touched my heart because it's exactly how I felt, I can completely relate to him"
Thank you Ms. Maisano for writing this book..for ALL of us!!
I am forever grateful

Get out your pearls and lipstick
Based on this book, all you need to regain your sexuality is your makeup, nice clothes and oh, don't forget to shave your legs as "stubble is never OK."The man in your life will never find you desirable as long as you are not the ideal of Feminine Beauty. Ha! Hardly the way to regain the feeling of self-worth which has been lost during treatment. Please do yourself a favor - skip this book and purchase No Less a Woman: Femininity, Sexuality, and Breast Cancer - it is an intelligent work and will far better serve you as you move on past your cancer experience.

Up Close and Personal!
I was hooked right away from the introduction, when the author said you start a new world once you no longer accept being the "Designated Cancer Patient". That's what I've been to everyone, that's how they see me, but I'm changing all that with this book. I feel I have found a real survival guide covering topics no one's ever discussed with me, on hair and skin, lymphedema, libido, dryness and lots more. Her section on "Reclaiming Your Sexuality" is invaluable because nowhere else does anyone talk so frankly about the uniquely personal and very intimate problems of breast cancer. This is the first breast cancer book I am re-reading for the third time, taking notes while I go, and I've already filled a notebook! And now I finally know what to ask, but even more how to talk about all these issues with my professionals, as a woman not just a "designated cancer patient". Priceless! Every breast cancer survivor should own this book.

Get this book for your wife
If you are a woman and have breast cancer or if your wife has breast cancer, you have to get this book. My wife was changed by it. She has become the woman she was before her cancer. She is full of joy and hope and love again, where, before, she was feeling badly about herself and her body and her future. Becausethe author has had cancer, my wife could identify with her and trusted her advice. Cancer no longer consumes her - life and living it to the fullest does.
I don't know how the author could climb inside my wife's psyche like she did, but I will be forever grateful to her. Life is wonderful and cancer is just a part of our past now.
Thank you.

At last
Finally, a book for what happens after cancer.
I read this book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down.
I started out wishing I could be as positive and full of life as the author, but by the time I was done reading, I was.
I had breast cancer three years ago and had lost my breasts and underwent reconstruction. I have always felt unsure of myself dating someone new. Not anymore. I have hope, confidence and so much knowledge just from reading these tips. I wish there were more personal stories. They really made the whole thing come to life for me.
If you have had breast cancer or know someone who did, get this book. Truly. ... Read more

Product Description
    I have taken my personal experience in practice along with the details of treatment of patient together with published literature and proposed a testable theory of breast cancer. The lack of a theory of cancer and especially breast cancer has made treatment difficult and empirical.

    The book is divided into four parts. The first part discusses iodine. From published facts, we can arrive at a proposal that iodine could be the first phase of a two phase cancer defence system. It appears that iodine in the extra-cellular fluid outside of the cells is the main surveillance system for abnormal cells. Iodine also triggers the natural death of normal cells in the body. There are many cells types in the body undergoing a natural death. For example some of the cells in the stomach have lives of only 2-3 days. The name of this process is apoptosis.

    Carefully documented descriptions of the cancer process at different places in the body reveals most cancers have similar stages through which it passes. The cancers are not really cancer until the cells start to move by invasion through the nearby connective tissue. Cells develop abnormalities for a variety of reasons and can continue to become abnormal all the way up through atypical cells and to carcinoma in situ. Carcinoma in situ is the dividing line between the two phases of cancer development. Iodine in correct doses will reverse all of the changes up to and including the carcinoma in situ.

    The thyroid hormone controls connective tissue function. So connective tissue around organs forms a structural biological barrier to the spread of cancer. Cancer spread to distant organs only develops in the connective tissue of those organs. Therefore, if the connective tissue defence is not strong then the cancerous cell from a distant site can land there and grow. If however the thyroid hormone level in the connective tissue is high enough then the connective tissue will perform its normal defence duties and not allow the cancer cell to enter it and develop.

    Using these principles, fibrocystic disease and breast cancer become more understandable. Supplemental iodine in the correct doses will remove all lesions from carcinoma in situ back to just an abnormal cell by triggering death of these cells by apoptosis. Spread of cancer cells in the connective tissue can be arrested by adequate treatment with thyroid hormone to strengthen the connective tissue barrier.

    My experience with patients using this approach so far has been successful. The principles are that there are two phases to cancer one controlled by iodine and the other by thyroid hormone. Thus the book deals with the prevention and survival of breast cancer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Highly Recommended!
No need to repeat points made by others. This book is accurate and very informative. For over 15 years I've researched human iodine consumption in relation to fibrous cysts and other health issues and this book sums it all up.

Very thought-provoking book!
I just read the opening chapter and the last chapter titled "Breast Cancer," and I plan to read the rest tonight and tomorrow. I was very impressed with the information! And I hope that the medical profession will take note!

Also, I would like to highly recommend visiting the website: earthclinic.com (which is how I found out about this book). People from the U.S. and other countries have emailed in their experiences with natural remedies...and one of the remedies listed on earthclinic is using iodine.

On the site are tabs for "Remedies" (A-Z that show you all the uses for a particular remedy) and there is a tab for ailments (A-Z that list all the ailments...and what remedies people are using for each ailment. And there is a tab for pets (that includes remedies and ailments--because it is very important to take care of pets, too).

Very Informative
As a RN, Medical Laboratory Technologist and breast cancer survivor, I literally read this volume in one sitting.At times I found it to be a bit technical or maybe it is just that my organic chemistry and cellular biology courses were some 30 years ago.Dr. Derry does specifically state that this is his theory based on his understanding of the current literature.I do agree that most of us are iodine deficient.One thing I have noticed in talking with other breast cancer survivors is that a largemajority of us have both breast cancer and hypothyroid.Far too many for it to be statistical coincidence.Of the women I know who have had or have breast cancer at least 50% also carry a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and or fibromyalgia.I also have the fibromyalgia diagnosis and wonder how much of this is actually hypothyroid.I feel strongly enough about Dr. Derry's theory that I have begun taking supplemental iodine.I would recommend this book to anyone who is concerned about either thyroid function or breast cancer.

Disappointed to say the least
Not at all what I expected.Hard to read and very vague.No real directions and lots of technical bull that left me scratching my head.
I would not recommend it at all.The title is very misleading.It did not present any how to's or instructions like the title implies.A waste of money.

Proposes Iodine as Prevention and Treatment for Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer and Iodine by David Derry MD PhD,is a unique 100 page volume which presents the academic case for iodine as prevention and treatment of breast cancer.The book should be handed out freely during October Breast Cancer Awareness Month.Although written for the lay reader, it should be required reading for all medical students, breast surgeons, mammographers, breast cancer oncologists and any doctor who orders mammograms.

With ten pages of medical references including the work of B A Eskin and W R Ghent, Dr. Derry discloses the remarkable connection between iodine deficiency, fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer. Iodine's anti-cancer activity lies in its control of apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

Derry presents case studies complete with surgical pathology confirmation showing regression of both fibrocystic breast disease and carcinoma-in-situ breast cancer with iodine treatment. He also presents a case report case of infiltrating breast cancer involving the skin which regressed after prolonged application of topical Lugol's iodine solution.

I can report from the experience of my own family members that iodine supplementation causes regression of fibrocystic breast disease.

Derry's ideas in the book could be easily revised into an NIH grant proposal to research and confirm the role of iodine.To do so would advance the nation's health and be a great public service.Iodine is safe, inexpensive and readily available without a prescription.A US policy of iodine supplementation matching the Japanese dietary intake of iodine could very well be our best preventive measure against breast cancer.

Jeffrey Dach MD
... Read more

Product Description
"From one of the most visible and highly respected figures in medical journalism comes a book that can literally save lives.

During the past several years, doctors at leading institutions acrossthe nation have been investigating the relationship between breastcancer and diet. The recent flood of medical studies confirm that whata woman eats can have a dramatic impact on whether or not shecontracts the disease. In The Breast Cancer Prevention Diet, Dr. BobArnot, in his unique, expert fashion, has synthesized this researchinto an eating program that finally enables women to fight back.

The breast cancer prevention diet is designed with all women in mind;whether you want to guard yourself against the onset of breast cancer,or protect yourself from recurrence, the diet offers valuableinformation that will address your particular needs, including plansfor:

-women with high estrogen, who are therefore at a higher risk -postmenopausal women with lower estrogen levels -breast cancer survivors -women with a familial history of breast cancer

-young women who want to take precautionary measures.

Back again with his simple yet enormously powerful premise, Dr. Arnot encourages you to think of foods as drugs -- without the side effects. Although you can't single out specific foods or toxins that initiate breast cancer, you can still take charge of your diet -- and in the long run, your life. There are certain foods that can significantly decrease your risk. With a clear overview of the biology of the breast and information about the way in which cancer spreads, Dr. Arnot offers helpful, practical guidelines that will allow you to incorporate these powerful foods into your diet. The Breast Cancer Prevention Diet is easy to follow, complete with delicious menu suggestions, cooking techniques, and the general information women need to make significant dietary choices that could ultimately save their lives. "Amazon.com Review
Until recently, there was little women could do to preventbreast cancer. After years of research, nutrition is emerging as oneof the most important weapons to fight this deadly disease. Now, inThe Breast Cancer Prevention Diet: The Powerful Foods, Supplementsand Drugs That Can Save Your Life, Dr. Bob Arnot, author of thebestselling Dr. BobArnot's Revolutionary Weight Control Program, provides apowerful, safe, easy-to-follow diet that can actually transform thestructure of the breast and alter the flow of hormones that inducebreast cancer. Arnot, NBC News chief medical correspondent, integratesand clearly explains the latest and most important breast cancerresearch from around the world. He gives 12 detailed steps to preventbreast cancer and provides specific cancer-prevention strategies forpremenopausal and postmenopausal women, breast cancer survivors, andgirls. Dr. Bob's sound advice will also provide many other benefits,from improving overall health to lowering the risk of heart disease,diabetes, and osteoporosis. --Ellen Albertson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

Fine research, but needs to be updated
If you want to drastically reduce your risk of breast cancer, lots of information in this book will help you.For example, consume more fiber and more vegetables.Eschew alcohol.But, this book is now 12 years old and new research is available.Please ask Dr. Arnot to update his book with current research.

Food is good medicine
My mother passed away at 69 from a 2nd round of breast cancer that spread throughout her body. Her mother, my grandmother, lived to almost 89 and died of natural causes. What was the difference? My Greek grandmother had a diet rich in olive oil, fish, homegrown herbs and vegetables. My Mom kept dieting, hated exercise, and even eliminated protein from her diet (including fish), and she also developed osteoporosis. We have so many environmental factors that we can't control, so it really makes sense to be good to yourself with your diet. I'm for a mediterranean diet that includes organic fresh food. My Greek grandfather lived to 102, and so did his mother, my great-grandmother.

Not Just for the Ladies
In THE BREAST CANCER PREVENTION DIET, Dr. Bob Arnot considers breast cancer in terms of its causes, its pathology, its treatment, and its relation to other cancers.Dr. Arnot tries hard to keep the medical jargon down to a minimum but his opening discussion of estrogen receptors might be a bit too deep for those with little medical backgound. Nevertheless, his analyses of the underlying causes represent what was then (1998) cutting edge technology and still holds relevance today. His position that certain foods may actually reduce the incidence of breast cancer or even eliminate it is far less controversial than some of his detractors hold who insist that obesity rather than diet is the determining factor.For Dr. Arnot, diet is supremely important not onlyfor the standard nutrients like vitamins and minerals, but also for the less well-known presence (or absence) or more exotic elements like Omega-3 fish oils, antioxidants, and genistein.Arnot connects a number of loose nutritional threads like fiber, body fat, insulin levels and soy and flax products that synergistically interact to reduce if not eliminate breast cancer.Arnot is fond of charts as he uses them judiciously to list and rank various subcategories of anti-breast cancer components. For example, for those who wish to increase their intake of Omega-3 fatty acids but do not wish to do so by tablet supplementation, his chart on page 88 identifies from highest to lowest those fish foods that are particularly rich in that oil.He later addresses an often overlooked factor in cancer growth: the glycemic index that identifies foods that on one level seem healthy due to nutritional content but on another contain excess glucose to the extant that blood sugar diseases like diabetes would become likely.Much of his other advice is rock solid and well-known.His chapter on fiber clearly explains what it is, how it operates, and how it can reduce both body weight and breast cancer. Here he presents another handy chart that lists common fiber rich breakfast cereals by name.He finishes with erudite analyses of antioxidant capacities of selected fruits and vegetables, chemical estrogen avoidance strategies, and what he terms "road maps" as breast cancer prevention plans.The advice he writes of is not limited to women. If men were to follow the same advice they would benefit in ways not limited to avoiding breast cancer.In fact, Dr. Arnot's book can be seen as a general guide to good health that just happens to have a particular use toward breast cancer.Good advice, he notes, has more than one focus.

Don't listen to the 1 stars....
This book is based on clinical trials, on going studies, and observations from respected MDs.One of the main points explains the role of estrogen and estrogen blocking foods and drugs.This is the best way to fight the estrogen driven cancers that are plaguing American women today.My mother has stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to her bones, at that stage they don't even do chemo or radiation because it's incurable, and there's not enough evidence that it will help.The only thing that helps keep this cancer in check is estrogen blockers.The reason this healthy, active, organic food eating person got this cancer is because she was on hormone replacement therapy for the last 15 years.The information in this book has been keeping her alive and feeling well.If you have cancer, good luck to you.Food is one of your best medicines.

No Diet Can Prevent Breast Cancer
Dr Arnot knows that no diet can prevent breast cancer.With the exception of alcohol (two or more drinks a day), no diet or foods have been conclusively linked to substantially increasing or decreasing the risk of breast cancer.It is disappointing that a tv doctor who is familiar to millions chose to give false hope to readers -- and make money from it. He should be embarrased and ashamed to be cashing in on women's fear of breast cancer by claiming that there is any combination of food and supplements that can prevent breast cancer.Anything for a buck! ... Read more

Product Description

A diagnosis of breast cancer can be overwhelming. The disease is frightening and the medical landscape confusing. In the wake of fear and confusion comes the need to make decisions about treatment. This book provides women with medically reliable and up-to-date information to help them with these decisions.

Within these pages is a team of private consultants -- including surgeons, medical oncologists, radiologists, plastic surgeons, and women who have faced breast cancer -- each of whom offers sound advice and valuable insight. In addition to describing surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and breast reconstruction, the medical experts clarify choices and offer support, while breast cancer survivors tell their own stories of pain, perseverance, and triumph.

Choices in Breast Cancer Treatment is a rare blend of medical expertise and compelling personal accounts that empowers those with breast cancer to meet the disease with confidence, knowledge, and hope.

Customer Reviews (5)

A good resource!
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.

Not for me.
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.

Every case is unique
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

I even shipped a copy to the oncologist
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.

A Most Helpful and Informative Book
"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 ... Read more

Product Description
This impressive new book is unlike anything currently available at your local bookstore.It combines the latest medical knowledge from experts in the field with words of wisdom from survivors, and uses photographs and exceptional color graphics to make the most difficult concepts easy to understand.Developed by a physician whose wife, also a physician, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Be A Survivor: Your Guide to Breast Cancer Treatment features:

* Clear, concise, up-to-date information that can be accessed quickly and easily when decisions need to be made
* More than 150 pictures and illustrations to lessen the fear, mystery, and confusion surrounding breast cancer and its treatment
* Lists of questions to ask healthcare providers, an extensive resource section, and other tools to help a breast cancer patient get the best possible care and support
* Words of advice and experience from over 30 survivors and their families
* A guide to help partners understand breast cancer and their role in the process of treatment and recovery ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

So helpful
Be a Survivor is a comprehensive guide to understanding breast cancer--from diagnosis through the recovery process. Lange's medical expertise and personal experience (his wife is a survivor) make him an invaluable resource on the subject. The book explains breast cancer clearly using helpful images and diagrams, shares the stories of women battling the disease, includes coping strategies for those diagnosed and their loved ones, and explores the different treatment options. Truly a must have for breast cancer patients and families.

Excellent resource book!!
This is one of the best breast cancer guides ever written. We give these to our newly diagnosed patients and they love them!!! Very well written and easy to understand w/o too much overwhelming detail!

Good overview
This is the book my sister's surgeon loaned her after the breast cancer diagnosis was made.It is presents information about the disease and treatment options in an easy-to-understand format.

Great Information for All Seeking Guidance
I was given the book by my surgeon from his library when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I found it to be most informative and written clearly and simply so that anyone could understand it. The chapters are organized in an orderly manner from diagnosis, treatment options to family involvement I would recommend it to anyone facing the ordeal of breast cancer and I purchased two copies....one for my own use and one for my daughter.

Breast Cancer Changes a Woman's Life
Book Review
March 12, 2009
Breast Cancer Changes a Woman's Life
Breast cancer has a way of changing a woman's life drastically. Waking up knowing that you have breast cancer and what the day holds for you can be so strenuous on a woman's life.What do we do and how do we cope with all the changes?I will tell you about how Dr. Lange in his book Be a Survivor "Your Guide to Breast Cancer Treatment" (Lange Publications, June 2007,180 pages)explains cancer and how to deal cope with the changes that will occur.
Vladimir Lange, M.D. in the book Be a Survivor "Your Guide to Breast Cancer Treatment" educates woman on different types of breast cancer and the treatment to cure. I thought that the book was very informative and easy to read being a cancer patient I found a lot of the information to be true and helpful.I really enjoyed the pictures and the remarks from the other cancer patients. If I had to recommend this book to anyone I would due to how it comforted me.
Dr. Lange is a graduate of Harvard Medical School.Dr. Lange's wife who is also a physician was diagnosed with breast cancer."They both were overwhelmed by the complexity of the information they had to process." He states the book was inspired by their desire to make the journey easier for others. Be a Survivor should be the first book women reach for in developing strategies to fight perhaps the biggest battle of their lives. Bette-Lee Fox, "Library Journal" Renee Gaines had this to say about the book, "I recommend this book as a must to every person I know who is facing the challenges of breast cancer, breast surgery and finally for life after cancer."
Do you really know that cancer can be treated?Dr. Lange starts by discussing what breast cancer is and its treatment. He tells readers that breast cancer is not a death sentence that it is treatable andthata positive attitude is very important.The different stages and treatment are explained from the first step of what stage you are in to whether you should have lumpectomy or mastectomy radiation or chemotherapy or both to the hormonal therapy.Dr. Lange tells you how to deal with your emotional rollercoaster to how to deal with your partner, family, and your job and how to help them cope.Joan had this to say about receiving the diagnosis, "When you get that diagnosis, go ahead and cry your eyes out.Cry your eyes out right then, so that you're not bottling up that emotion.It's so terrifying, that for a while you feel as though you're in a fog, and that if you come out that fog, something terrible is going to happen.So, cry, vent, talk it out, and then find out what you can do to help yourself."
The book emphasize that cancer is a type of tumor that is malignant which spreads invading and destroying tissues,and that cells can part and get into other vessels and travel to other parts of the body.The way they determine if the cancer is malignant is by having a biopsy which is by testing a sample of the tumor.The testing is doneby a pathologist. If it's malignant other test will be done to determine the stage and the best treatment for the patient.There are four stages used to determine the severity of the cancer.
Facing surgery can be scary and the book discusses surgery options and reconstruction and makes it more manageable.Dr. Lange tells the difference between mastectomy and lumpectomy.He explains that a lumpectomy is the removal of a tumor from part of the breast conserving as much breast tissue as possible.It may be done as an inpatient in the hospital or as an outpatient same day surgery.The procedure takes about an hour where an incision will be made over the tumor area and then the tumor will be removed.Recovering from a lumpectomy is almost immediately if there are were no lymph nodes removed.A lumpectomy would be recommended if there is only one tumor in the breast and it is not that big as the cosmetic results would not be satisfactory after removal.Laurel a cancer patient had this to say about her lumpectomy. "I had a lumpectomy with local anesthetic.It was extremely easy and when it was over physically I felt very good.I was able to go home with relatively little pain."
If the decision is fora mastectomy which is the removal of the whole breast and generally done in the hospital under general anesthesia.When you have a mastectomy the breast tissue, the nipple, the areola, and a number of axillary lymph nodes are removed but not the muscles.The procedure takes about two to three hours.The breast tissue will be removed and sent to the pathologist for any evidence that the cancer has spread beyond the breast.When the procedure is completed you will have one or two tubes called drains placed under you skin to help remove the fluid that accumulates after surgery.You will have to stay in the hospital for a day or two and then will continue to recover at home.Carol who had a mastectomy said this, "I have a very clear memory of the first time I took the bandages off.I literally went crazy.All of a sudden it was in my face. The breast wasn't there anymore. And it wouldn't ever be there."
If you decided that reconstruction is decision then, the breast can be reconstructed using implants, or the patient's own tissues.Reconstruction will not give you a normally functioning breast it can only create a beast form which, will have the shape and texture of your breast. It can be done immediately after surgery, or at a later date.Reconstruction can be done with synthetic implants or with your own tissues.The most common is the implants which are teardrop-shaped pouches that are inserted under the skin to create the form of a breast. The first couple of days you will experience some discomfort de to the breast are swollen and tender.When using your own tissues for reconstruction skin, muscle and fat is taken from another part of your body.This is called myocutaneous flap tissue transfer and there are different types of flaps the TRAM (Transverse Rectus Abdominis) Flap moves tissue from other area of the body to the breast area while preserving the original blood supply, and the free flap the original blood supply to the transferred tissue is cut and reconstructed.After Janet had her reconstruction she said "it didn't seem important at first, but finally have reconstruction did wonder for my confidence.Now when I look in the mirror, I don't cringe. When I change in the locker room I don't hide.In my own mind I am a woman again."
Don't fear radiation, people tend to make it worst then it is.Dr. Lange discusses radiation and the side effects of radiation. Radiation is local treatment that only treats the cancer area. It is a form of treatment that uses rays usually called X-rays and its main purpose is to destroy the ability of cells to grow and multiply, cancer cells are permanently damaged while other cells can recover quickly. The treatments usually last five to seven weeks.There are few side effects from the radiation which are fatigue, skin discoloration, breast swelling and some tenderness which all will subside after treatment.
Just hearing the words chemotherapy scares everyone but, Be a Survivor tells the reader about chemotherapy and its effects.Chemotherapy is a form of treatment that treats all parts of the body to kill cancer cells that may have spread; it may also be given to shrink the tumor before surgery.It is usually given by injections in the vein and the cycles are normally spread out over three to six months. Dr. Lange explains that the chemo affects both the normal cells and the cancer cells, but because the cancer cells divide quicker and are less likely to self-repair, they are more affected by the chemo.When normal tissues are affected you may experience several side effects such as nausea, fatigue, menopausal symptoms, and hair loss.The side effects with differ depending on the drug used for treatment.He explains that the patient might have sexual side effects both physical as will as psychological and encourages open communication with your partner or to seek counseling.
Is hormonal treatment and immunotherapy mandatory or an option? The book also tells difference between hormonal therapy and immunotherapy and that hormonal therapy prevents cancer cells from growing and immunotherapy helps the body to fight off cancer. Hormone therapy is usually given in the form of a pill and given over a period of five years and is taken daily. It has fewer and less severe side effects and you may affect the rate of loss of calcium from the bones.Hormone therapy is harmful to the fetus and you should use some type of birth control other than oral contraceptives because they may interfere with the treatment.When Pat started her hormone therapy she stated, "A low point was when I first started the hormone therapy, because I wasn't sure how my body would react to it, but I've had no side effects, so it's gone well."Immunotherapy is fairly new and relies on the body's own built-in defense system.It's given through injections and is focused on abnormal cells and the body's ability to fight off foreign particles.You may experience flu-like symptoms after the first injection and may need to have regular MUGA scans to checking the pumping in your heart to make sure the drug is not affecting it.
Be a Survivor talks about DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) a very early stage classified as non-invasive breast cancer Stage 0. It has not penetrated the lining of the duct and has not spread into the blood stream.With the use of mammograms now DCIS is easy to detect.In comparison to invasive cancer it has not been researched as extensively and physicians disagree on how to treat it.In the past doctors believed that if a patient had a mastectomy or lumpectomy it was 100% guaranteed not to come back.Now to make the decision easier, researchers devised a system for selecting the best treatment plan for each DCIS lesion.It is based on the size and grade of the tumor, and the width of the margin around the tumor.
Dr. Lange talks about different clinical trails that patients may be asked to participate in find in new ways to manage cancer and improve the quality of care.Trails are conducted according to protocol- a set of guidelines that tells what will be done and why. You don't have to participate in the trail you have a right to refuse.Mona a cancer patient was asked to participate in a research and she said this, "When I was asked to be on a research study, it was very carefully explained to me by my doctor and his nurse.I took a copy of the papers home, and as a matter of fact, sent one to a female physician of mine.We talked on the phone about it.I felt I would be carefully monitored.So I had no hesitation."
Finishing all your treatments and surgery can be such a relieve for you and your family, that Dr. Lange says that you still will experience a lot of the side effects like depression, anxiety, and fatigue.He recommends breast self examination, mammograms and even counseling to come to copes with the new you.Michelle said, "It has been about two years since my surgeries.I feel like a woman.And I don't just feel normal, I feel very attractive. I feel I have my sexuality back and I would be attracted to any man."When the treatment is concluded it is best to try to get back to your regular life as soon as possible.He recommends that you and your partner if needed counseling take up the offer.
Candace Moorman, MPH of the California Department of Health Services stated, "This is not just another book on breast cancer.I wish I'd had a reference like this when I was diagnosed."
Charlie opinion stated, "This book is unique in that it has testimonials throughout from women and their partners. It also has terrific drawings. I purchased a LOT of books when I was diagnosed. This was the book that I went to during my chemo and before surgery, to really find out what was going on. It is difficult to know what questions to ask your oncologist or surgeon, when everything is new. This book helps you prepare and should give you the confidence to make treatment decisions about your life.
After reading this book, I still would suggest this book to anybody battling breast cancer.I found it to explain things to me that I could understand and be a little more comfortable with.









[...] ... Read more

Product Description
Each year, around the world, over one million women will be told they have breast cancer.All will face surgery, and most will undergo radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal treatment. In the months and years that follow treatment, women are left with nagging questions, questions they often are afraid to ask:

• When will I know for sure that I am cured?
• Shouldn't my doctor be doing more follow-up testing?
• What are the real figures on breast cancer survival for women treated today?
• How would I know if I had a recurrence?
• How do I answer family and friends who think I worry too much?
• Do other women ever feel the way I do, and how do they cope?

Customer Reviews (18)

Post bc treatment must read
This wonderful little book hadn't been published when I finished treatment.It would have been so helpful during that post treatment time when I struggled so hard to return to normal - then, eventually, realized that there was no going back - I was different now and needed to find my "new" normal.

very disappointed
I received this book yesterday and am returning it today. It seems to simply list fears (in question format) then state that they will be fears and that there is a basis for fear. So, this book will validate that fear exists, even after treatment. However, this book has a very negative focus. Frankly, it was more unsettling- creating fears I didn't have. While I wasn't looking for a book that was "life is just fine now", I don't need any book to stir up fear and a feeling of helplessness. There was also a whole chapter on "troubling words of "cure and "survivor"... this chapter seemed to be more that the author had an ax to grind, apparently judging people who would use these words as part of their own psychological recovery as being polly-anna or misinformed. She even takes a blast at the "pink ribbon" information as too upbeat. Gosh I guess she just wants to make sure that you stay emotionally fragile, but now you can cite reasons to be! Forget it. I don't need more negativity or fear in my life.

Praise for After Breast Cancer
The author of this book is a 14-year breast cancer survivor (at the time of publication.) Musa Mayer was a counselor in the Ohio Community Mental Health system, with a specialty in women's issues. The professional background, plus her personal experience, lends itself to specific knowledge to be an advocate for those facing breast cancer and its after effects. The author suspects that society encourages women to get on with their lives like before cancer, when in fact that is a faulty expectation. There is no going back to life as it was before cancer, because cancer shifts the foundation on which patients stand. Instead, survivors must build supports for a strong life after cancer. Mayer tells readers how to do that, and why it is necessary for post-cancer well-being.

Mayer incorporates the experiences of 40 other women. The women share their thoughts and feelings about what happens after surgery and other cancer treatments are over. The book clearly addresses the concerns of women worrying about recurrence and/or metastatic breast cancer. "This book takes the position that for women diagnosed with breast cancer, coming to terms in a direct way with the fear of recurrence can become a crucial part of the recovery process."

For the two million women in the United States who will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, the recovery process is no easy task. The impact that cancer has on the patient, her family and friends, is profound. Mayer divides the issues of recovery into eight chapters, which include informational and emotional content. What determines a cure? What defines a survivor? What medical tests should a survivor have? What symptoms would a survivor experience? What fears are "normal?" How does a survivor experience a "new normal?" According to Mayer, survivors must "discover what is normal for us now." In addition, Mayer explains the importance of support, and encourages survivors to seek support groups. She also includes an extensive resource guide. For those seeking a holistic approach to life after cancer, the area that is lacking in this book is a chapter on spirituality.
After Breast Cancer is a one-of-a-kind book that should be in of every survivor's library for resources and reassurance.
review by Lynn C. Tolson

A must-read after a breast cancer diagnosis
I purchased, After Breast Cancer: Answers to the Questions You're Afraid to Ask, for a friend of mine who was diagnosed with primary breast cancer two years ago.Before giving my friend the book, I read it, so I would not be suggesting a book that might "scare" her.Having metastatic breast cancer myself, I found myself wishing I would have had such a resource after my initial diagnosis.The book is extremely well-written and addresses all of the key issues of dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis.It's educational and offers the patient a "take-charge" mentality of a breast cancer diganosis.This book is a "must read" for women (and men) who are dealing with or have dealt with breast cancer.

A MUST for anyone just finishing treatment
Although I had heard from others that finishing treatment can be unexpectedly hard, it still came as a surprise. I have held it together pretty well, I think, through everything that had happened to me (diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer whilst pregnant). But I really did lose the plot a bit for a while, when it had all finished. This book has helped tremendously. It is a MUST for anyone just finishing treatment. Really wonderful ... Read more