Fighting Cancer with Knowledge and Hope: A Guide for Patients, Families, and Health Care Providers (Yale University Press Health & Wellness)

Anyone who is diagnosed with cancer receives a frightening blow, and in many cases the diagnosis is accompanied by a bewildering array of treatment choices. In this invaluable book, Dr. Richard C. Frank offers comfort and help to cancer patients, their families, and their caretakers. Dr. Frank empowers patients by unlocking the mysteries of the disease and explaining in plain language the ways to confront and combat it. An award-winning medical oncologist recognized for his humanitarian approach as well as his research accomplishments, Dr. Frank understands that cancer patients and their families need insight into the disease along with a sense of control. He therefore addresses these vital topics:–what cancer is and how it spreads–how cancer treatment strategies are chosen–how cancer-fighting drugs work to shut down the growth of the disease–which factors affect a patient’s prognosis–how patients can visualize cancer treatments at work in the body and why this is helpful–how to deal with “uncurable” cancer–and more. With a wealth of patient case histories, helpful coping strategies from cancer survivors, and up-to-date information on useful resources, Fighting Cancer is the book cancer patients and their loved ones can turn to with confidence and hope. (20100715) Contents......Page 8 Foreword......Page 10 Preface......Page 14 Acknowledgments......Page 18 PART I: Exposing Cancer......Page 22 1 Understanding Cancer......Page 24 When First Diagnosed: What You Need to Learn......Page 27 The Three Essential Properties of Cancer......Page 29 Understanding How Cancer Spreads......Page 41 2 Diagnosis, Staging, Curability......Page 44 Making a Diagnosis of Cancer......Page 46 Determining the Extent or Stage of Cancer......Page 55 Estimating Curability......Page 59 3 Understanding Specific Cancers......Page 75 Carcinomas......Page 76 Blood and Lymph Cancers......Page 84 Sarcomas......Page 102 Brain Tumors......Page 104 4 Why Cancer Develops......Page 106 Cancer and the Blueprint for Life......Page 110 Family Cancers......Page 115 Cancer and the Environment......Page 121 Why Do Only Some People Get Cancer?......Page 133 PART II: Attacking Cancer......Page 136 5 How Cancer Grows: The Basis of Cancer Treatments......Page 138 Cancer Develops over Decades......Page 140 Cancer Grows by Organized Chaos......Page 142 Cancer Can Grow Unpredictably......Page 145 Cancer Is Survival of the Fittest......Page 146 The Devil Is in the Details......Page 147 6 Cancer Treatments Revolve around Metastasis......Page 150 After Surgery: “Why Do I Need Chemo If I’m Cancer Free?”......Page 152 Eye on the Prize: Complete Cancer Eradication......Page 154 When Surgery Is Not the First Step......Page 156 Metastatic Disease: Cure versus Control......Page 161 How a Treatment Strategy Is Chosen......Page 168 Cancer in the Older Individual......Page 172 The Role of Surgery in Metastatic Cancer......Page 174 The Role of Radiation Therapy in Metastatic Cancer......Page 177 7 Cancer Treatments at Work......Page 180 A New Era of Hope......Page 182 Targeting the Lifelines of Cancer......Page 184 Chemotherapy......Page 186 Targeted Therapies......Page 196 Hormone Therapies......Page 206 Radiation Therapy......Page 208 Why Do Cancer Treatments Sometimes Fail?......Page 209 8 Get Prepared to Survive......Page 212 Survivorship and the Power of People......Page 214 Survival Is Spelled LMNOP......Page 221 Final Thoughts......Page 224 Appendix 1 Types of Cancer Medicine......Page 226 Appendix 2 For More Information......Page 230 A......Page 234 G......Page 235 N......Page 236 S......Page 237 W......Page 238 References......Page 240 A......Page 257 B......Page 258 C......Page 260 D......Page 264 F......Page 265 H......Page 266 K......Page 267 L......Page 268 M......Page 269 N......Page 270 P......Page 271 R......Page 272 S......Page 273 T......Page 275 U......Page 277 Z......Page 278

Anyone who is diagnosed with cancer receives a frightening blow, and in many cases the diagnosis is accompanied by a bewildering array of treatment choices. In this invaluable book, Dr. Richard C. Frank offers comfort and help to cancer patients, their families, and their caretakers. Dr. Frank empowers patients by unlocking the mysteries of the disease and explaining in plain language the ways to confront and combat it.

 

An award-winning medical oncologist recognized for his humanitarian approach as well as his research accomplishments, Dr. Frank understands that cancer patients and their families need insight into the disease along with a sense of control. He therefore addresses these vital topics:

–what cancer is and how it spreads

–how cancer treatment strategies are chosen

–how cancer-fighting drugs work to shut down the growth of the disease

–which factors affect a patient’s prognosis

–how patients can visualize cancer treatments at work in the body and why this is helpful

–how to deal with “uncurable” cancer

–and more.

 

With a wealth of patient case histories, helpful coping strategies from cancer survivors, and up-to-date information on useful resources, Fighting Cancer is the book cancer patients and their loved ones can turn to with confidence and hope.

Anyone who is diagnosed with cancer receives a frightening blow, and in many cases the diagnosis is accompanied by a bewildering array of treatment choices. In this invaluable book, Dr. Richard C. Frank offers comfort and help to cancer patients, their families, and their caretakers. Dr. Frank empowers patients by unlocking the mysteries of the disease and explaining in plain language the ways to confront and combat it. An award-winning medical oncologist recognized for his humanitarian approach as well as his research accomplishments, Dr. Frank understands that cancer patients and their families need insight into the disease along with a sense of control. He therefore addresses these vital topics: what cancer is and how it spreads how cancer treatment strategies are chosen how cancer-fighting drugs work to shut down the growth of the disease which factors affect a patients prognosis how patients can visualize cancer treatments at work in the body and why this is helpful how to deal with uncurable cancer and more. With a wealth of patient case histories, helpful coping strategies from cancer survivors, and up-to-date information on useful resources, Fighting Cancer is the bookcancer patients and their loved ones can turn to with confidence and hope. Anyone who is diagnosed with cancer receives a frightening blow, and in many cases the diagnosis is accompanied by a bewildering array of treatment choices. In this invaluable book, a compassionate and knowledgeable physician explains what cancer is, which factors determine a patient's prognosis, how cancer treatments work to eradicate cancer, why they sometimes fail, and what patients can do to optimize their own survival. The second edition of this essential resource for patients and their families discusses new treatment options that have become available, including targeted therapies, immune therapies, and personalized cancer medicine. Information on the types of medicines used to fight cancer has been completely updated and revised; also included is a new section on alternative cancer therapies. Winner of the 2010 American Medical Writers Association Medical Book Award in the Health Care Professionals-Nonphysician categoryWinner of the 2010 Will Solimene Award for Excellence in Medical Communication, given by the New England Chapter of the American Medical Writers Association Aims to offer comfort and help to cancer patients and their families. This work covers topics such as: what cancer is and how it spreads; how cancer treatment strategies are chosen; how cancer-fighting drugs work to shut down the growth of the disease; which factors affect a patient's prognosis; and, how to deal with 'uncurable' cancer.