Fighting Cancer with Knowledge and Hope: A Guide for Patients, Families, and Health Care Providers »

Richard C. Frank, M.D., is director of cancer research, Whittingham Cancer Center, Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, CT, and medical director, Mid-Fairfield Hospice, Wilton, CT. He lives in Fairfield, CT.

Anyone who is diagnosed with cancer receives a frightening blow, and in many cases the diagnosis is accompanied by a bewildering array of treatment choices. In this invaluable book, Dr. Richard C. Frank offers comfort and help to cancer patients, their families, and their caretakers. Dr. Frank empowers patients by unlocking the mysteries of the disease and explaining in plain language the ways to confront and combat it.

An award-winning medical oncologist recognized for his humanitarian approach as well as his research accomplishments, Dr. Frank understands that cancer patients and their families need insight into the disease along with a sense of control. He therefore addresses these vital topics:

–what cancer is and how it spreads

–how cancer treatment strategies are chosen

–how cancer-fighting drugs work to shut down the growth of the disease

–which factors affect a patient’s prognosis

–how patients can visualize cancer treatments at work in the body and why this is helpful

–how to deal with “uncurable” cancer

–and more.

With a wealth of patient case histories, helpful coping strategies from cancer survivors, and up-to-date information on useful resources, Fighting Cancer is the book cancer patients and their loved ones can turn to with confidence and hope.

Foreword Edmundo Bendezu ix

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Part I Exposing Cancer

1 Understanding Cancer 3

When First Diagnosed: What You Need to Learn

The Three Essential Properties of Cancer

Understanding How Cancer Spreads

2 Diagnosis, Staging, Curability 23

Making a Diagnosis of Cancer

Determining the Extent or Stage of Cancer

Estimating Curability

3 Understanding Specific Cancers 54

Carcinomas

Blood and Lymph Cancers

Sarcomas

Brain Tumors

4 Why Cancer Develops 85

Cancer and the Blueprint for Life

Family Cancers

Cancer and the Environment

Why Do Only Some People Get Cancer?

Part II Attacking Cancer

5 How Cancer Grows: The Basis of Cancer Treatments 117

Cancer Develops over Decades

Cancer Grows by Organized Chaos

Cancer Can Grow Unpredictably

Cancer Is Survival of the Fittest

The Devil Is in the Details

6 Cancer Treatments Revolve around Metastasis 129

After Surgery: "Why Do I Need Chemo If I'm Cancer Free?"

Eye on the Prize: Complete Cancer Eradication

When Surgery Is Not the First Step

Metastatic Disease: Cure versus Control

How a Treatment Strategy Is Chosen

Cancer in the Older Individual

The Role of Surgery in Metastatic Cancer

The Role of Radiation Therapy in Metastatic Cancer

7 Cancer Treatments at Work 159

A New Era of Hope

Targeting the Lifelines of Cancer

Chemotherapy

Targeted Therapies

Hormone Therapies

Radiation Therapy

Why Do Cancer Treatments Sometimes Fail?

8 Get Prepared to Survive 191

Survivorship and the Power of People

Survival Is Spelled LMNOP

Final Thoughts

Appendix 1 Types of Cancer Medicine 205

Appendix 2 For More Information 209

Glossary213

References 219

Index 236