A Cancer in the Family

Starred review from January 18, 2016
At any given moment, 13 million people in the United States have cancer, writes first-time author Ross. For people with family members who have been diagnosed with the disease—and wondering what that may imply about their own health—this number may be especially frightening. To allay those fears, Ross, who directs the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s Cancer Genetics Program, explains genetic cancer testing with candor and intelligence while also chronicling her own journey after being diagnosed with melanoma. Supported by solid medical information as well as her experience as an oncologist and cancer biologist, Ross stresses the value of genetic testing and counseling; straightforwardly explains the science of DNA; discusses how to compose a family history, even as an adoptee, and use it to identify an inherited predisposition to cancer; offers an overview of treatments and therapies; and includes appendices covering a wide range of genetically inherited cancer syndromes and guidelines for managing them. Packed with information shared by a compassionate and empathetic voice, Ross’s tome is a thoughtful and measured tool for health advocacy that many will find useful.

February 1, 2016

Ross (MD, PhD, internal medicine; director, Cancer Genetics Program, Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Ctr.) writing as a practitioner, as a scholar, and as one with personal experience of genetic-based cancers, has created an accessible read for a lay audience grappling with personal or familial hereditary cancer diagnoses. Easily translating medical jargon into understandable text, Ross weaves a brief overview of genetic theory, hereditary cancers, and her personal/familial struggles with cancer into a book that is more than the sum of these parts: an intriguing read even for persons not looking for specific cancer-related information. The appendixes and resource sections are a go-to reference for further information on hereditary cancers. With a chart outlining types of hereditary cancer syndromes as well as how one could mitigate the risks of having those cancers, this volume attempts to enable readers to "take control of [their] genetic inheritance," as stated in its subtitle. VERDICT Recommended for readers seeking appropriate information on hereditary cancers, including their causes, and risk management as well as those beyond the target audience who are interested in sound writing on medical topics.--Rachel M. Minkin, Michigan State Univ. Libs., East Lansing

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