The Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Book
This comprehensive guide to breast cancer should be on every woman’s must-read list. Mayo Clinic doctors Hartmann and Loprinzi draw on the know-how of their colleagues to spell out what causes cancer, what steps people can take to prevent it, and why everyone should care. Each year, they explain, doctors diagnose cancer in more than 1.5 million Americans, including more than 200,000 with breast cancer. In colorful language, they describe cancer cells as biological anarchists that stop following the rules. The authors don’t make patients feel guilty, but they do note that 50 to 75 percent of U.S. cancers arise from lifestyle factors, such as being obese and drinking too much alcohol. The good news is that preventive measures and early detection and treatment mean that today the five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with breast cancer is nearly 90 percent. With an index, many useful resources, and a helpful glossary (who would know that a punch biopsy is the use of a hole-punch-type instrument to remove a sample of skin tissue?), this is a valuable resource that belongs in every library. --Karen Springen