Paul Miskovitz | Marian Betancourt
Autopsy reports show that about half the U.S. population over the age of 50 has colon polyps. Since about 95 percent of colon and rectal cancers grow from these polyps, it stands to reason that most Americans should worry at least a little bit about this disease. The bulk of this book is for people who've already been diagnosed with colon cancer, but some sections give advice to family members of cancer patients. The entire volume serves as an argument to get regular physical examinations.
1 Are you a cancer specialist when a loved one is diagnosed?
When my father was diagnosed with colon cancer, and all the other issues associated with it, everyone's lack of basic knowledge was amazing. Most of my siblings and I are college educated, 2 sisters are even nurses. Yet we all had a lot of misconceptions about even the simplest things. When we tried to wade through the piles of information we found everywhere, things became even more confusing. Then I found this book. It was like a primer on colon cancer. The book lays out all of the basic information in a logical, understandable way that helped all of us understand the disease. My sisters, the nurses, thought it was a little simple, and my father was still baffled by all the detail. But, it gave us the tools as a family to understand and deal with the real issues. We were less scared about somethings and more focused on what mattered. The biggest help was just being able to understand the risks and goals of the treatment options we were presented. This book was an invaluable tool for our colon cancer survival story. And if you are reading this because you or a loved one are facing colon cancer, have hope and I wish you all the best.
2 Superficial, for the Less Informed
Book lacks the detail I was looking for. Details of the cancer's prognosis and what to expect on the path towards the demise is what I was looking for. Information is helpful for person who has no knowledge of colorectal cancer. I was disappointed.
3 What to do if you get Colon Cancer: A Specialist's Guide
Very helpful, straightforward guide to help one understand a potentially terrifying subject. Mainly, it helped me think of what I should be asking my doctors, and to understand both their answers and my options. A calming, useful resource. Highly recommend it to patients & family.
4 An absolute must for anyone dealing with colon cancer!
This book presents an essential overview of all aspects of colon cancer, from diagnosis to dealing with life after surgery and chemotherapy. It is well organized, and concepts are clearly explained for a general audience. I highly recommend it, not only for someone dealing with colon cancer personally, but for friends and family members as well. This is the most comprehensive and current book on the topic of colon cancer that I've been able to find!
