A completely updated edition of the definitive guide for patients with breast cancer
The new fourth edition of The Breast Cancer Survival Manual provides essential updates on treatment and care, enhancing the basic information that has made this the most trusted guide for women diagnosed with breast cancer for the past decade. This edition includes the most current advice on
• getting a second opinion: why it’s important, what questions
to ask, and how to decide which team of doctors is best for you
• updates on genetic testing and how doctors are using
the results to tailor care for each patient
• navigating new types of radiation, the herceptin
breakthrough, and improved reconstruction surgeries
Conscious of the rapidly evolving spectrum of treatment options, Dr. John Link outlines the latest findings and professional wisdom for the patient in pursuit of the most effective treatment plan. The Breast Cancer Survival Manual continues to be a must-have for any woman seeking accurate and accessible information about managing breast cancer today.
In a valuable guide for women who have just been diagnosed with breast cancer, Dr. John Link helps sort through the confusion and the fear, by explaining such things as how to get a second opinion and how to understand a pathology report.
Particularly valuable is Link's step-by-step description of how breast cancer is characterized, or staged, according to tumor size, hormone receptors, and other factors--and how that affects prognosis. As a breast cancer specialist at Long Beach and Orange Coast Memorial hospitals in Southern California, Link knows the medical jargon and what it means. Although his writing style is at times a bit jargony and difficult to read, a breast cancer patient will willingly read and reread every word. The book also includes useful chapters on diet, exercise, herbs, and vitamins; managing the side effects of treatment; healing's mind-body connection; and organizing medical records and keeping a personal journal or log.
Ending on an encouraging note, Link writes, "You should know that most women today are cured of breast cancer. They undergo treatment, become survivors, and go on with their lives. But having breast cancer is certainly a wake-up call to many and may be for you. Life now has added uncertainty." This step-by-step manual helps you navigate the uncertainty and become a survivor, both physically and psychologically.