Arnot employs a technique called evidence-based medicine, in which doctors adapt current available scientific information to fit the needs of patients. He recommends an organic, vegetarian diet which, he says, can block the effects of estrogen, which can contribute to tumor growth and development. Although these books all may have something to offer, they aren't necessarily the first ones a woman should reach for when she's been diagnosed with breast cancer. He suggests that newly diagnosed cancer patients should begin their cancer education by reading books that give an overview of general cancer issues-what terms such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy mean, how to talk to family members about cancer, and how to deal with nausea and hair loss. After that, patients can look for a book about their specific cancer.
Books can help patients get to the nitty-gritty of a particular cancer, such as breast cancer.
The Complete Book of Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Recovery . Medical writer Lynn Payer agrees that Bazell's and Waldholz's books, while possibly engaging, won't help newly diagnosed patients make decisions about treatment. This was the stuff that I knew was true from my study of the medical literature. And, finally, somebody was telling it to a general readership. Maryann Napoli, associate director of the Center for Medical Consumers in New York, says that patients gain a greater sense of control over their lives and make better decisions when they learn about their illness.