Colon & Rectal Cancer : A Comprehensive Guide for Patients and Families

James Metz, MD
Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Last Modified: November 1, 2001

Author: Lorraine Johnston
Publisher: O'Reilly
ISBN: 1-56592-633-1

OncoLink Rating:

Colon and Rectal Cancer: A Comprehensive Guide for Patients and Families is the second book on cancer written by Lorraine Johnston. Her first book, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas: Making Sense of Diagnosis, Treatment and Options, was inspired by her experiences with her mother, who is a 20 year lymphoma survivor, and her husband, who is an 8 year lymphoma survivor. These experiences have helped her create this informative and helpful book for patients with colorectal cancer.

The book is well planned and organized to follow the path and experiences of colorectal cancer patients. Survivor stories are tactfully incorporated throughout the book that both emphasize important points and bring a personal flavor to the book. The reader will gain a strong knowledge base on colorectal cancer that will help them interact with their health care provider. The author states, "by enabling you to build a frame of reference from sound, current medical information, we'll help you understand the decision-making process needed to make appropriate choices about your medical care."

The book conveys accurate and reliable information in an easily readable format. Medical specialists in surgical, medical, and radiation oncology have been consulted to review the medically intensive material. The book is written with the assumption that the reader has little medical knowledge, thus all medical terms are well defined. The appendix contains an excellent resource section including recommended books, organizations, children's material, and Internet resources. A glossary of terms is also included.

Colon and Rectal Cancer: A Comprehensive Guide for Patients and Families is highly recommended by OncoLink. It is one of the best resources available specifically for colorectal cancer. It should be considered an important addition to any colorectal cancer patient's library.