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Informed Decisions: The Complete Book of Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Recovery

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James Metz, MD
Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Last Modified: November 1, 2001

Title: Informed Decisions: The Complete Book of Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Recovery Authors: Gerald P Murphy, MD, Lois B. Morris, and Dianne Lange Publisher: Viking, in conjunction with The American Cancer Society Price: US $39.95 Canada $50.00 ISBN: 0-670-85370-4 OncoLink Rating:

"Informed Decisions" is a monumental effort by The American Cancer Society designed to further educate the public about cancer diagnosis and treatment. The book contains a wealth of information for the cancer patient. The purpose of this publication is to present all the information that is needed to make critical choices and simplify the decision making process with respect to a cancer diagnosis.

The book is well organized into seven separate sections. The first six sections deal with issues that all cancer patients may face, regardless of their diagnosis. The final section is dedicated to specific cancers and details screening modalities, risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic and staging tests, treatment options, survival statistics, and questions to ask your physician. The book also includes a directory of resources, divided by topic, with addresses and phone numbers. There is also a directory of cancer information online.

The book is very well designed and may be read cover to cover or utilized as a reference for both the patient and the health care provider. There are excellent chapters on ACS screening recommendations, self examinations, food and nutrition, diagnostic tests, and cancer causes and risks. There is also an informative chapter on alternative and complementary therapies which includes American Cancer Society recommendations regarding some of the most popular techniques.

Almost every aspect of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and complications are included in this book. There are concise, easy to understand, recommendations on the day to day problems that the cancer patient may face. It is a superior reference for the cancer patient and has OncoLink's highest recommendation.