Breast Cancer Basics and Beyond

Book excerpt: Having breast cancer can be devastating for the woman affected - and for her family and loved ones. It can also be confusing, because there are many variations of the disease and at least as many treatments. By bringing together comprehensive information on the subject, Breast Cancer Basics and Beyond helps women better understand their illness and participate in making decisions about all aspects of their treatment and care. In this book, award-winning medical writer Delthia Ricks tells you all about: common and rare types of breast cancer, their causes and symptoms, diagnosis, including mammography and different kinds of biopsies, treatment options, including lumpectomy, mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy, benefits and side effects of the most commonly used drugs, your risk factors, including ethnicity, genetics, hormones and diet, life after cancer, follow-up care and dealing with recurrence, reasons for hope: breast cancer research and treatments in development.