Getting through survival Getting through survival (October 12, 2005)

Breast Cancer Awareness month presents opportunity to get educated on topic

by Stanford Health Library

When more than 200,000 women a year are diagnosed with breast cancer, it's not surprising that the disease has touched the lives of most of us in one way or another. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, making it an appropriate time to explore some recent books on breast cancer.

B.O.O.B.S. is certainly a title that catches a reader's attention. Those that pick it up will not be disappointed. Subtitled "A Bunch of Outrageous Breast-cancer Survivors Tell Their Stories of Courage, Hope and Healing" (Cumberland House, 2004), the book tells stories of 10 women, with a variety of backgrounds, who were brought together by an Atlanta-based cancer support program called "The Wellness Community." Compiled and edited by Ann Kempner Fisher, the book is an engaging read full of humor and pathos. It makes a strong case for the value of supportive care in dealing with cancer. Women with breast cancer will find it inspiring and life-affirming. Families and friends of those women will gain empathy as they understand more about the breast cancer experience.

"Breast Cancer Answers: Understanding and fighting breast cancer" (Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2005) also focuses on real-life experience. Medical oncologist Bruce A. Feinberg, D.O., discovered in his practice the value of simple illustrations to convey and clarify information about breast cancer. Those illustrations and explanations have grown into a book that is useful for patients and families both before and after diagnosis.

He tells the story of one of his breast cancer patients and her husband to illustrate the journey through diagnosis, treatment and survival. While the book is an excellent primer for women just diagnosed with the disease and their loved ones, it also can serve as a valuable resource throughout the experience. It offers easy-to-understand and read answers to questions, along with colorful illustrations. Subjects covered include an explanation of the science of cancer; a description of diagnostic methods and results; treatment options, including side effects and alternative therapies; and finally, what to expect when treatment ends. A glossary helps patients decipher the medical jargon they will encounter along the way.

In 2003, a renowned breast cancer surgeon was herself diagnosed with cancer. Carolyn Kaelin, M.D., the 42 year old director of the Comprehensive Breast Health Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital (a teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School), had treated countless women with the disease when she suddenly found herself a patient. In "Living Through Breast Cancer" (McGraw Hill, 2005) she tells the story of her experience. Kaeline blends her personal experience and knowledge of a specialized physician. She carefully explains the meaning of diagnosis, how to build an effective care team and how to make treatment decisions. The book is dedicated to the experience of breast cancer for both body and soul -- helping women to cope with the effects of treatment and to regain a sense of control over a life that has changed forever.

These books, along with more than 170 other books and videos about breast cancer, are available to be borrowed from the Stanford Health Library. Even more breast cancer information is available online on the Health Library Web site (http://healthlibrary.stanford.edu). From the home page, choose the search link to locate those resources easily. For help with any of these resources or to explore further, free of charge, visit, phone or e-mail the Stanford Health Library. Branches are located at the Stanford Shopping Center near Bloomingdales'; on the third floor of Stanford Hospital or on the main level of Stanford's new Cancer Center. Call the Health Library at (650) 725-8400 or e-mail to healthlibrary@stanfordmed.org.

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