A critical resource for anyone with a cancer diagnosis. Written by a radiation oncologist and cancer researcher, Taking Charge of Cancer offers an insider’s guide to understanding and receiving the best treatment options, choosing the right medical team, and approaching this difficult time with knowledge and hope. Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be terrifying, and the first thing you probably want to know is: How am I going to survive this? Cancer care requires decisions from numerous professionals, delivering treatments that are potentially life-saving, but also potentially dangerous and life-threatening. The chances of cure and survival for any given patient depend on the expertise of the cancer team, and whether procedures are in place to ensure that cancer care is delivered properly. So, how can you make sure you choose the right treatment team and ensure the best chances of survival and long-term health after being diagnosed with cancer? Taking Charge of Cancer is a different type of book for cancer patients—one that goes beyond the cancer information that is currently available, allowing you to truly take control of your cancer treatment. You’ll learn how to obtain and understand medical records, and why these records are critical to your care. You’ll also find the tools you’ll need to determine if the recommendations made by doctors are in keeping with accepted treatment guidelines. You’ll discover how doctors use evidence to decide which treatments are best, as well as how doctors can become biased in their recommendations. And, most importantly, you’ll be able to evaluate whether surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy make the most sense in your specific case—and whether or not these serious treatments are being delivered effectively and safely according to the highest standards. Now that you’ve received a cancer diagnosis, it’s time to set a plan in motion for your recovery. This book will help you do just that—every step of the way.

"Taking Charge of Breast Cancer incorporates many components of the experience of breast cancer, from personal illness to political economic factors. Based on her very extensive data from interviews and content analysis, Ericksen's fine writing offers a powerful narrative approach that focuses on stages of awareness and action. In the process she eloquently addresses the physical and emotional consequences of breast surgery, changes in body and sexuality, and activism. This is a major contribution to understanding the politics and experience of breast cancer."—Phil Brown, Brown University

"Providing comprehensive, current, and reliable information on breast cancer, this book, written by an experienced oncologist, a surgeon, and a breast cancer survivor, informs and inspires readers, wherever they are in the breast cancer experience. Patient stories, essays from medical specialists, and illustrations add clarity and insight"--

The book you can trust to support you at every stage of your treatment - and beyond Winner of best 'Popular Medicine' book, BMA Medical Book Awards 2019 Professor Trisha Greenhalgh, an academic GP, and Dr Liz O’Riordan, a Consultant Breast Cancer Surgeon, are not only outstanding doctors, but they have also experienced breast cancer first-hand. The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer brings together all the knowledge they have gathered as patients and as doctors to give you and your family a trusted, thorough and up-to-date source of information. Designed to empower you during your breast cancer treatment, it covers: -Simple explanations of every breast cancer treatment -Coping with the emotional burden of breast cancer -Frank advice about sex and relationships -Staying healthy during and after treatment -Dealing with the fear of recurrence -Living with secondary breast cancer Packed full of all the things the authors wished they’d known when they were diagnosed, and tips on how to cope with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and beyond, this is the only book you need to read to guide you through your breast cancer diagnosis. 'A much needed guide which is both humane and based on robust evidence.' – Macmillan Cancer Support

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.

Despite the risk of developing breast cancer, many women still have a limited knowledge of its causes and prevention. The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Breast Cancer uses the most recent research studies and clinical evidence to explain the causes of breast cancer and techniques for its prevention. Some of the topics covered are: Comprehensive explanations for the causes of breast cancer -- hereditary, hormonal, environmental Identifiable environmental risks Self help detoxification programs, diet plans and herbal recommendations Natural medicine strategies which complement conventional medical treatments and promote recovery Psychological support Protective factors are highlighted and valuable exercises and worksheets for breast care are included, such as The Breast Health Balance Sheet, an extensive questionnaire that helps to determine risk factors. Written in an empathetic and accessible style, The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Breast Cancer is an excellent resource for women seeking breast cancer information.

Each volume in the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer Series is packed with practical, authoritative information designed to cover the full range of diagnostic procedures, including pathologic, radiologic, bronchoscopic, and surgical aspects. You’ll be able to determine the safest, shortest, least invasive way to reach an accurate diagnosis; stage the disease; and choose the best initial treatment for early stages. Based on current evidence in the literature, authors provide clinical, hands-on tools to help you make informed decisions on precisely what tests and imaging studies are needed to diagnose and stage each type of cancer. Practical, authoritative, and highly-illustrated, this volume in the brand new Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer series covers current protocols and the latest advances in diagnostic imaging and molecular and serologic markers for breast cancer. Apply expert advice on the best “next-step plan for different presentations and tips for less invasive protocols. Get clinical, hands-on tools to help you make informed decisions on precisely what tests and imaging studies are needed for accurate diagnosis and staging. Clear figures, tables, and boxes illustrate step-by-step care of the full range of problems encountered. The small size and convenient format make this an ideal purchase for diagnostic reference. Outlines the steps after diagnosis to guide you through formulating a treatment or patient care plan. Emphasizes important points—such as the promising new breast cancer vaccine, sentinel node biopsy, and hormone receptor tests—with “key points boxes at the beginning of each chapter and pedagogic features throughout. Summarizes the process of accurately diagnosing and staging cancer in a logical, almost algorithmic, approach for easy reference. Discusses the treatment of early-stage disease so you have clear options for care. Complements the procedures outlined in the text with full-color photographs and line drawings to reinforce your understanding of the material.

From an expert in the field comes the definitive guide to managing breast cancer in the information age—a comprehensive resource for diagnosis, treatment, and peace of mind. The breast cancer cure rate is at an all-time high, and so is the information, to say nothing of the misinformation, available to patients and their families. Online searches can lead to unreliable sources, leaving even the most resilient patient feeling uneasy and uncertain about her diagnosis, treatment options, doctors, side effects, and recovery. Adding to a patient’s anxiety is input from well-meaning friends and family, with stories, worries, and opinions to share, sometimes without knowing the details of her particular case, when in reality breast cancer treatment has gone well beyond a “one size fits all” approach. Elisa Port, MD, FACS, chief of breast surgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital and co-director of the Dubin Breast Center in Manhattan, offers an optimistic antidote to the ocean of Web data on screening, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Inside you’ll discover • the various scenarios when mammograms indicate the need for a biopsy • the questions to ask about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and breast reconstruction • the important things to look for when deciding where to get care • the key to deciphering complicated pathology reports and avoiding confusion • the facts on genetic testing and the breast cancer genes: BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 • the best resources and advice for those supporting someone with breast cancer From innovations in breast cancer screening and evaluating results to post-treatment medications and living as a breast cancer survivor, Dr. Elisa Port describes every possible test and every type of doctor visit, providing a comprehensive, empathetic guide that every newly diagnosed woman (and her family) will want to have at her side. Praise for The New Generation Breast Cancer Book “One book you need . . . If you’re considering your options for treatment or know someone who is, this step-by-step guide, The New Generation Breast Cancer Book, is essential reading.”—InStyle “Elisa Port, M.D., is the doctor every patient deserves: brilliant and compassionate. Her book will be a sanity saver and, quite possibly, a life saver.”—Geralyn Lucas, author of Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy “As up-to-date as one can get, with lots to offer people facing a cancer diagnosis or hoping to support someone with the disease.”—Library Journal (starred review) “The New Generation Breast Cancer Book helps you sort through all the information you’ve gathered, clarify the terminology, consider the options, and make the right decisions for your unique case.”—Edie Falco “A lifeline for many women in need of today’s most up-to-date choices for treatment . . . Everyone should read this book for themselves, their mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and friends.”—Kara DioGuardi, Grammy-nominated songwriter, music executive, and Arthouse Entertainment co-founder “The book is teeming with easy-to-understand medical explanations, tips, takeaways, and pro-and-con discussions of various courses of action. Port also includes two extremely useful appendices that respectively take on common myths and answer questions frequently asked by friends and family. This is a vital read that will empower men and women alike.”—Publishers Weekly

All you need to know to "take control" after a diagnosis of DCIS of the Breast. Using the familiar image of a garden and a personal, plain English style, renowned breast cancer specialist Professor John Boyages, MD, PhD, walks you slowly through the stress and confusion of diagnosis, treatment and life after DCIS of the breast. In this book John Boyages provides you with all the information you or your family and friends need to take control, maximise your survival, and find your path to recovery. Learn how to: Find the right treatment team for you and avoid under- and over-treatment; Identify the key questions to ask your treatment team; Identify the treatment choices for your breast and armpit; Cope with menopause, sexuality, and fertility after treatment; Take control if cancer returns. The book divided into three coloured parts detailing the 20 points before, during and after treatment when you need to take control and make important decisions.