A widely acclaimed guide for cancer patients and their families, Understanding Cancer is also an immensely helpful read for basic cancer scientists who wish to broaden their perspectives on cancer and appreciate the potential impact of their research.
This book is part of the National Cancer Institute’s TASC (Take a Scientist to the Clinic) seminar series. Coleman begins by outlining the general processes of diagnosis and treatment as a “road map” for cancer patients. Following the “bird’s-eye view,” he expounds on individual subjects, including the origin of cancer, information gathering using diagnostic tests and staging studies, methods of evaluating treatment efficacy, and approaches in weighing long-term risks and benefits of treatment. Conventional treatment modalities including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplantation, and hormonal therapies are reviewed with the pros and cons of each option. Combinational regimens composed of multiple modalities also are covered. The book includes two significant updates from the previous edition: discussions on molecular targeted therapy and how clinical trials are conducted to advance translational medicine and grant-limited pools of volunteering patients’ access to novel therapies. In the last chapter, four hypothetical patient stories are presented to illustrate various scenarios from which readers could learn for their own decision-making process. The appendices consist of a concise review of cancer molecular biology, as well as useful tools such as analysis of treatment cost-effectiveness, the performance status scoring systems, and patient’s checklist.
Understanding Cancer provides a handy and informative clinical perspective in explaining how various procedures including diagnosis, staging (clinical and pathological), treatment, and progress assessment are conducted in the healthcare system. Charts illustrating medical concepts and tables listing cancer classifications, terminologies, and current available therapeutics are resourceful references for scientists thinking about translational medicine. It also illuminates the quest of the medical community for further breakthroughs in molecular medicine, driven by collaborations among scientists, clinicians, and patients, to enhance the life expectancy and quality of life for those afflicted by cancer.
Coleman points out that cancer is not merely a medical issue. Diagnosis of cancer can complicate various aspects of patients’ lives. Fear of “their own mortality” may suddenly become more prominent, followed by concerns for their families’ future welfare, their careers, and the financial stresses that might accompany the ordeal. Therefore, personal matters are essential when considering treatment options. Macroscopically, cancer causes socio-economical problems. Government and insurance companies may make use of the analytical tools introduced in this book to evaluate appropriate treatments as well as expenditure and reimbursement schemes.
While scientists in cancer research may skip chapters introducing basic cancer biology, Understanding Cancer helps them view this disease from the perspectives of the patients and clinicians, as well as policy makers and healthcare financiers. This book also serves as an encouraging reminder for basic scientists that their research can have far-reaching impacts beyond pure intellectual fulfillment. Although scientists may not always be visible, their contributions continuously generate hope for patients and the medical community. I highly recommend this book for scientists who desire to understand cancer in a broader scope, and/or who wish to rekindle the passion that first brought them into cancer research.