The Breast Cancer Book

May 1, 2005
Breast cancer remains a hot topic, with computer-aided screening and aromatase inhibitors making news. Yet women face the same challenges when confronted with a positive diagnosis: what do they need to know, and what decisions do they need to make? Grobstein (founding director, Ida M. and Cecil H. Green Cancer Ctr., CA) tries to make those choices less daunting by providing a detailed approach to treatment options, with sidebars and lists of things to "Remember." Recent books have taken patients through the process and beyond (e.g., Carolyn M. Kaelin's "Living Through Breast Cancer"), but Grobstein's work, part of Yale's prestigious "Health & Wellness" series, limits itself to immediate treatment and a brief transition period. The highlight, which will distinguish the book from its peers, is Grobstein's "Decision Trees": similar to genealogy charts, these illustrations depict the various processes of the breast cancer experience, breaking them down to their component parts. Most women will find them exceedingly valuable in figuring out their next move. Featured throughout, these trees are also reproduced on perforated pages at the end of the text for personal use. Librarians, take heed. This reasonably priced, informative text is highly recommended for patient health collections. (Index not seen.) -Bette-Lee Fox, "Library Journal"

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.