Breast Cancer Basics and Beyond

For most women and their families, a diagnosis of breast cancer is both devastating and confusing. Questions about the disease - its cause, treatment, and prognosis - can be overwhelming at such a difficult time. By gathering together all the latest information available on the subject, Breast Cancer Basics and Beyond helps women better understand their illness and enables them to make knowledgeable choices about their care. Among the topics discussed are the pros and cons of different treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, breast reconstruction, recurrence rates, building a support team, follow-up care, and life after cancer. The book also explores current issues such as emerging therapies and examines possible links with obesity, ethnicity, and environmental factors. Top breast cancer specialists and researchers offer comments and testimony, and personal stories from breast cancer survivors provide heartening reminders that the reader is not alone.