Your trusted, no-nonsense guide to detecting and managing breast cancer From the breast health experts at the American Breast Cancer Foundation comes a sensitive and authoritative guide to the most common cancer in women: breast cancer. Covering everything from prevention to dealing with a diagnosis to coping with life after cancer, it serves as a trusted resource for anyone whose life has been touched by this dreaded disease. Advancements in breast cancer prevention, detection, and treatment are being made every day, but it can be overwhelming and confusing knowing where to turn and who to trust. Detecting & Living with Breast Cancer For Dummies distills the information into one easy-to-follow guide, giving you quick, expert advice on everything you'll face as you manage your breast health. From getting to know your treatment options to talking to loved ones about breast cancer—and everything in between—it does the legwork for you so you can take a deep breath and focus on your health. Perform regular self-exams the right way Cope with the many decisions that need to be made if you're diagnosed Ask the right questions about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and breast reconstruction Decipher complicated pathology reports with confidence Whether you're at risk for breast cancer or have been diagnosed and want to know your options, Detecting & Living with Breast Cancer For Dummies empowers you to take your health into your own hands.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with breast cancer, you're probably confused, afraid, shocked, or even angry. Or you may be all of the above. Let this book become your trusted manual. Discover more about the cancer, explore treatment options, find ways to make this part of your life easier. Let shared experiences serve as your knowledgeable guide and anchor to help you make wise and confident choices. Think of breast cancer as a journey and this book as your roadmap. Have you already been diagnosed? In that case, this book can help you explore these important truths: Breast cancer is not a death sentence. Most women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer can look forward to enjoying a healthy, full life. Not only are you unique as a person, but so, too, is your particular form of cancer, your treatment options, and your prognosis. Every day more is discovered about how to prevent, detect earlier, and more effectively treat breast cancer. You are not alone. More than two million women in the United States today are breast cancer survivors. Thousands of groups and programs across the country offer support, and chances are, one is close to your neighborhood. All the information in this book is based on the most recent research findings, the clinical expertise of oncologists, and the invaluable experiences of the women who have walked this road before. Breast Cancer For Dummies covers all of the following topics and more in simple, easy-to-understand terms: Coming to grips with breast cancer Decoding your pathology report Finding the right treatment for you Rekindling intimacy after treatment Health Insurance and money woes Talking to children about breast cancer This book can help you feel like you have a sister who's a doctor, a sister who tells you what to expect every step of the way, who gives you the best advice she can, and guides you along the way. (Of course, there is absolutely no replacement for advice about you from your own doctor.) You'll feel empowered to know and understand what's going on in your body, so that you can become a part of your own treatment team and make decisions along with your doctors and your family.

Your trusted, no-nonsense guide to detecting and managing breast cancer From the breast health experts at the American Breast Cancer Foundation comes a sensitive and authoritative guide to the most common cancer in women: breast cancer. Covering everything from prevention to dealing with a diagnosis to coping with life after cancer, it serves as a trusted resource for anyone whose life has been touched by this dreaded disease. Advancements in breast cancer prevention, detection, and treatment are being made every day, but it can be overwhelming and confusing knowing where to turn and who to trust. Detecting & Living with Breast Cancer For Dummies distills the information into one easy-to-follow guide, giving you quick, expert advice on everything you'll face as you manage your breast health. From getting to know your treatment options to talking to loved ones about breast cancer—and everything in between—it does the legwork for you so you can take a deep breath and focus on your health. Perform regular self-exams the right way Cope with the many decisions that need to be made if you're diagnosed Ask the right questions about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and breast reconstruction Decipher complicated pathology reports with confidence Whether you're at risk for breast cancer or have been diagnosed and want to know your options, Detecting & Living with Breast Cancer For Dummies empowers you to take your health into your own hands.

"Providing comprehensive, current, and reliable information on breast cancer, this book, written by an experienced oncologist, a surgeon, and a breast cancer survivor, informs and inspires readers, wherever they are in the breast cancer experience. Patient stories, essays from medical specialists, and illustrations add clarity and insight"--

Each year more than 180,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women in the U.S. If cancer is detected when small and local, treatment options are less dangerous, intrusive, and costly-and more likely to lead to a cure. Yet those simple facts belie the complexity of developing and disseminating acceptable techniques for breast cancer diagnosis. Even the most exciting new technologies remain clouded with uncertainty. Mammography and Beyond provides a comprehensive and up-to-date perspective on the state of breast cancer screening and diagnosis and recommends steps for developing the most reliable breast cancer detection methods possible. This book reviews the dramatic expansion of breast cancer awareness and screening, examining the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technologies for breast cancer detection and their effectiveness at actually reducing deaths. The committee discusses issues including national policy toward breast cancer detection, roles of public and private agencies, problems in determining the success of a technique, availability of detection methods to specific populations of women, women's experience during the detection process, cost-benefit analyses, and more. Examining current practices and specifying research and other needs, Mammography and Beyond will be an indispensable resource to policy makers, public health officials, medical practitioners, researchers, women's health advocates, and concerned women and their families.

This "Unofficial" guide provides the up-to-date, inside information women need to know to win the battle against breast cancer, including prevention techniques, the latest treatment methods, and nutrition, lifestyle, and reproductive health care tips.