2 Responses to “The Chemotherapy Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Get Through Treatment”

1. 

   T. Boisvert said on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 16:55

   I think like most people who are diagnosed with cancer it is scarey feeling and not knowing what to expect from Chemotherapy can be overwhelming to deal it. I know this is how felt when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer.

   This book was great because it was easy to understand and gave a lot of great information about the experince of going through chemotherapy and understanding cancer. At first I thought I was going to read this book cover to cover but for me as I have gone chemotherapy certain chapters have been important for me read depending on my symptoms at the time.

   I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is diagnosed with cancer and needs to go through chemotherapy. I know that it has been a great book for me to reference when I had questions about cancer or chemotherapy.
   Rating: 4 / 5
2. 

   Joseph S. Maresca said on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 19:39

   I would not worship exclusively at the holy grail of
   
   chemotherapy. Having made that statement, the authors
   
   accomplished much in explaining the dynamics of
   
   chemotherapy and the requisite planning to be done by
   
   patients and physicians. The information contained in
   
   this book is not known to patients, generally speaking.
   
   And so, the acquisition would have value for a person
   
   or family member facing chemotherapy with little time
   
   to investigate the dynamics of the treatment or the
   
   extensive terminology of the protocol .

   The volume explains how cells are nourished with blood
   
   and oxygen. Additionally, the immune system protects
   
   against foreign organisms. Simply put, cancer cells
   
   lack a growth control mechanism. To compensate,
   
   physicians have various strategies in the toolbox.

   For instance, surgery, radiation and a combination
   
   may be utilized to rid the body of cancerous tumors.
   
   Chemo interferes with the cell cycle specific to
   
   preventing cancer cells from reproducing.

   A strength of the work is that the authors direct the
   
   patient to understand the pathology report, as well as
   
   the treatment plan. Specific strategies deal with the
   
   dynamics of the blood chemistry. For instance, a
   
   decreased red blood count calls for eating a balanced
   
   diet, more iron (Fe) and rest. Erythropoetin stimulates
   
   red blood cell production. A low white count calls for
   
   a strategy of limiting exposure to places where many
   
   people gather. Skin should be kept clean at all times.
   
   Teeth should be cleaned often (brushing and flossing).
   
   Fluids should be consumed often.

   The authors provide specific blood test markers of interest
   
   to the patient; namely, CA15-3 for the breast tumors,
   
   CA125 for ovarian cancer and the PSA for men. A Nurse IV
   
   specialist should be employed for the infusion of vitamins
   
   and medicinal preparations for chemo patients. This book
   
   would be helpful for anyone on chemo or contemplating it.

   The book is written in a format easily understandable to
   
   the layperson.
   Rating: 4 / 5