Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics Medknow Publications on behalf of the Association of Radiation Oncologists of India (AROI) ISSN: 0973-1482 EISSN: 1998-4138 Vol. 7, Num. 4, 2011, pp. 505-505

Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics, Vol. 7, No. 4, October-December, 2011, pp. 505

Book Review

Enduring Cancer- Stories of Hope

Meena Tiwari Mishra

Advanced Centre of Radiation Oncology, Dr. Balabhai Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai, India
Correspondence Address: Meena Tiwari Mishra, Advanced Centre of Radiation Oncology, Dr. Balabhai Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai, India
meenatiwari1@gmail.com

Code Number: cr11136

[AUTHOR:1]

Author: Umanath Nayak

Publishers: Byword Books Pvt. Ltd.

Publications date: 2011

Price: Rs.175/-

The book 'Enduring Cancer- Stories of Hope' written by Dr. Umanath Nayak is a good attempt by an oncologist to understand the travails of the cancer patients and their relatives during their battle against this gruesome disease.

The author has written the book in fairly simple English and organized the content under concise headings. The author has attempted to narrate the agony of cancer in a site- wise manner by exemplifying his individual patient scenarios in a successive fashion. He has successfully tried to make the reader empathize with the plight of the sufferers as well as become aware of the risk factors associated with the development of cancer.

The chapter entitled 'My personal tryst with cancer' is quite significant. The chapter tries to give an idea of the emotional, intellectual and physical turmoil of an oncologist who is suspected to have cancer. It shows that 'information' about the disease does not change the way people deal with the news of cancer. The emotions that go through the patient when the news of cancer is broken to him/her are the same irrespective of patient himself being a doctor. In fact, knowledge about cancer worsens their inner resolve to fight the disease.

There is a good attempt to reveal the agony of terminally ill cancer patients. The mechanisms of coping with cancer are subjective and fighting the disease has more to do with inner strength than any treatment modality.

The book is good read for layman, cancer patients and their relatives for an overview. However, it lacks intellectual appeal and fails to give new information to the oncological fraternity.

Copyright 2011 - Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics

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