Colon-Cancer Books

This book was a great resourse to go back to when we had questions about my mother's cancer and her therapy. It did not get into telling personal stories and bring us down just gave us the nitty-gritty about the situation. I advise it to anyone who finds themself facing this battle, by the way mom is in her third year of remission!

The cancer field is growing so fast that books are having a hard time keeping up. This book gave me some standard information, but it is not up to date with procedures.

As a two time survivor of colorectal cancer I think this the best book I've read on how to avoid this cancer, what to do if diagnosed with it and how to cope with it. If I knew then what I know now I would have been proactive in getting physical exams with the screening tests described and certainly a colonoscopy at 50 years of age. Sooner if certain symptoms or hereditary factors were present.

If you or someone you know is diagnosed with colorectal cancer the book's comprehensive treatment of the various options available and how to obtain the best care is extremely valuable. The advice given by the author rings true based on my experiences.

The recovering cancer survivor will also find a unique and comprehensive overview of lifestyle changes,dietary recommendations as well as vitamin and chemical supplements available to help you lower the chance of recurrence, backing up these suggestions with empirical evidence. This has been helpful to me.

I suggest you buy this book, read it, give it to anyone approaching 50 whom you care for and certainly anyone currently battling the disease or it's aftermath.

This book is a solid investment in methodologies to detect, treat
and prevent colon cancer. It describes classic tests for the
disease. i.e.
- colonoscopy with samples
- flexible sigmoidoscopy
-virtual colonoscopy
- Fecal DNA (FOBT)
- FIT immuno evaluation
- Pill endoscopy

The author describes strategies aimed at reducing the likelihood
of colorectal cancer; such as, curbing alcohol, NSAIDS,
sensible dieting (fruits and veggies), cessation of smoking and
exercise.

The work is a solid value for readers interested in learning
more about every aspect of colorectal cancer.

I cannot fully express my gratitude to Dr Pochapin for creating this sanity-preserving resource! In the course of my diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy,and follow-up tests, I was at times lost. This book helped me to hang on, to understand, to feel prepared for all that was happening to me. Cancer is really scary when it has your name on it. Dr Pochapin has a way of relieving some of its "sting" with his way of talking to you like an old friend. I am a survivor for 20 months now and there are still things I refer to in this valuable book!Thank you again Dr Pochapin!!!!!

Well written, easy to read and inspiring. Without getting into deep medical details (there are other fine books for that), it gives you valuable information and suggestions. I got this because my mother has a CII colon cancer (already operated and on chemo) and helped me quickly gain a good insight, so I can better support her (she can't read English, otherwise I would give it to her as a valuable present).

Colorectal cancers develop slowly in the lower portions of the digestive tract. More than 140,000 new cases are diagnosed annual in the United States. Men and Women are equally at risk for the diseases. Positive Options For Colorectal Cancer: Self-Help And Treatment by colorectal cancer survivor Carol Ann Larson accessibly and understandably explains just how to cope with the disease and obtain the best treatments that modern medicine has to offer. Positive Options For Colorectal Cancer addresses the warning signs of the condition; screening tests (including information on virtual colonoscopy); myths and other misinformation about the disease; treatment options (including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation); communicating with doctors and other medical professionals; prevention techniques and alternative methods of healing; as well as finding support and utilizing all available resources. Of special note are the Q&As in which doctors respond to the most common questions of colorectal cancer patients. Very strongly recommended for personal and community library reference collections, Positive Options For Colorectal Cancer should be considered "must" reading for anyone having to deal with this disease.

I have been in the health care field for twenty-five years, and I have never read a more readable book about one of the most important health issues of the day, colorectal cancer, and the vital importance of the early detection of it. This is a must-have for anyone in the field, containing actual case histories of countless people.

Robin Ray Robbins

Carol Larson's book is an excellent guidebook for a patient facing colorectal cancer. Instead of feeling helpless and awash in a sea of uncertainty when dealing with colorectal cancer, the book clearly guides the patient to identify the positive options available.

The format of the book is excellent. Each chapter ends with a summary of the chapter and provides techniques, direction and information about the topic of the chapter. It is flush with many human interest stories. The many colorectal patients who contribute to the various chapters in the book provide encouragment with their advice and reflections while helping the patient to cope. Their personal reflections are reassuring.

The book provides a clear description written with sensitivity to each of the factors of colorectal cancer: testing options, understanding the diagnosis, considering decisions about medical treatment, and other challenges. This book is clearly a guidebook for an uncharted journey. Yet, it is written in such a way to empower the patient. I recommend this book for anyone who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and their loved ones. It's a helpful tool.

Carol Larson's book, "Positive Options for Colorectal Cancer" has a unique blend of education as well as human interest stories. She has truly captured the emotion as people are dealing with the scary news of a cancer diagnosis, yet shows the positive ways they turned to cope with their diseases. This book should be a must read for all those in the medical field as well as families of loved ones in the struggle.It's easy to read and simple to understand.The illustrations help too.

"That was terrific!" While not what you would expect to hear after a colonoscopy, these were the first words out of my husband's mouth as he woke up from this somewhat inconvenient procedure a few weeks ago, which he and I had postponed as long as possible. Howls of laughter burst forth from the nurses and others present in the recovery room. Nonetheless, the words revealed my husband's shock and delight that the dreaded procedure began and ended so imperceptibly and so painlessly.

"That was terrific!" would also be my assessment of this little book. While there is nothing sexy about the prospect of reading a book about cancer, my middle age, my weight, my family history, and personal medical history nearly demanded that I inform myself. The previous reviews for amazon.com have focused repeatedly on Dr. Adrouny's gift for making a boring, technical, and frightening subject accessible to the non-medical public through very readable text, references, and glossary, as well as lucid diagrams. I would echo all of those comments nearly verbatim. Anyone in the field knows that teaching science to non-science majors is more difficult than teaching it to those committed to the subject. You have to engage them first, and then inform them. Dr. Adrouny succeeds brilliantly in his chapters such as "Who Gets Colon Cancer and Why," "The `Look'...," "The `Feel'...," the stages, the prognosis, the treatment, prevention and future of colon cancer.

For me, however, Dr. Adrouny's greater gift is the art of gentle persuasion. He informs but does not preach. Who wants to go to the doctor and be ordered to go and lose 30 pounds? My husband was spurred to action by Dr. Adrouny, and now it's my turn. My colonoscopy is in two months. When will you sign up? (As he points out, there is usually a wait.) Read the book while you are waiting. Meantime, I am wondering if perhaps Dr. Adrouny's next book should be, "Understanding Extra Pounds."

Reviewed by Sonia Russo
Gaithersburg, Maryland

Dr. Adrouny is one of those rare physician/oncologists who is able to convert knowledge of his subject into words, phrases and thoughts that are fluid and understandable to the layman. Since colon cancer is the number two cause of cancer in the nation today, interest in the subject has heightened considerably and the book is a fast, yet comprehensive read for a wide audience. Having ordered and read the book before undergoing a routine colonoscopy I went into the procedure with a positive and informed outlook. Dr. Adrouny also analyzes the latest techniques in colon examinations including the merits of virtual colonscopies.

C. G. Elliott
Wailea, Hawaii

Richard Adrouny, MD is a personal friend of mine but I am not a patient of his nor a physician nor do I have any medical training. However, I am approaching 60. I do get annual checkups and prostate exams and I do worry about cancer.
Understanding Colon Cancer is as good a book on a critical medical issue as any lay reader could ever hope to find. Dr. Adrouny writes very fully and specifically about colorectal cancer, its development, theories regarding its prevention, and current treatment interventions. What makes his writing so valuable to cancer patients and others of us without medical training is its accessibility. He continuously offers clear, direct and perfectly understandable explanations so that the interested reader can truly grasp the meaning of necessary medical terms and their significance. When he mentions sigmoidoscopy he explains that the procedure is an examination of the inner rectum and lower colon. When he refers to adenomatous polyps he specifies that a polyp is a growth from a mucous membrane and an adenoma is a benign growth from a glandular tissue. Continuously, he shares with us state of the art medical understanding in terms non-physicians can grasp. And in the course of treatment for a potentially life-threatening disease understanding is comfort.
Colorectal cancer screening as an annual event isn't a high priority for most men or women. When Dr. Adrouny explains that 15% of all cancers can be detected by a simple digital rectal examination, the momentary inconvenience of this act of diligence seems a small price to pay confirming our health status. Similarly, fecal occult blood testing, barium enema, and endoscopy all offer evaluations that could spare us suffering and save our lives.
While reading this book I wondered if Dr. Adrouny didn't perhaps edit his own writing by asking himself "So what?" every paragraph or so and then took the time to make clear the importance of his points to his general audience.
While reading this book, I could imagine a colon cancer patient returning home after seeing his own oncologist and grabbing for Dr. Adrouny's book by way of understanding his own physician comments.

Adrouny does a great job explaining the ABC's of colon cancer.

This short--less than 150 pages--guide to colon cancer is accessible to those of us who are not physicians or familiar with healthcare terms. Adrouny patiently walks us through the basics of colon cancer: Who Gets Colon Cancer (men and women, too!); the look (signs) and feel (symptoms) of the disease; and the treatments and prevention.

This book is an absolute must for anyone who has colon cancer or anyone who is close to someone with the disease. The book also provides easy to read charts and drawings that I found very helpful.

My father was recently diagnosed with Colon Cancer and I decided to purchase a book about the horrible disease. This book by A. Richard Adrouny MD, a new author of medical books, provided me with facts and a new understanding of what my father is going through. This book will make you much smarter about this disease no matter what knowledge you have. I strongly suggest you buy this book to further increase your knowledge of one of the most common forms of cancer in America.

This book is very comprehensive and thorough. It has been most helpful during the many phases of an unexpected journey.

This is a professionally written book, with lots of detailed info and references. It's not a very easy read for the layman, but if you're really interested in the subject, as a patient or a helper, this will cover most of your needs and questions. Some times it goes into more detail than I would need, but I just skip what I consider too much for my brain. Many thanks to the authors for such a comprehensive non-medical text.

Colorectal Cancer is a condition whose successful treatment depends on how early it is detective. The American Cancer Society's Complete Guide To Colorectal Cancer is expertly compiled and edited by a team of knowledgeable and authoritative cancer experts, the result is a thorough guide for the non-specialist general reader to all aspects of colorectal cancer including its prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment options, complementary and alternative therapies, living well after cancer, caregiving, coping with practical matters, screening, decision making, and so much more. An authoritative 418-page compendium of up-to-date information that should be on the Health & Medicine reference shelf of every public library in the country, the American Cancer Society's Complete Guide To Colorectal Cancer is very strongly recommended for colorectal patients and their families.

2 1/2 yrs after an advanced colon cancer diagnosis, I'm still under chemo treatment and doing excellently.:) I've learned a ton! I recently found this book in the "chemo room." It seems to be "talkin' my language." I plan to buy one for myself and for others that I find myself encouraging along the way.

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on Dr. Lange's newest book
analzing Colorectal Cancer. I wanted to get it for a dear friend whose sister is battling the disease as we speak. Not only did I read the book for a greater understanding of the medical condition, I gave it to my friend in hopes it would help his sister.

One of the important points he, my friend, was able to glean from the book, is his role in helping her navigate the disease.
Her fear of the unknown, as well as the dire prognosis she has been given, has rendered her a single mother, unable to cope with her three children and her demanding life. This book faces the problem head on, with practical approaches for her family, as caregivers.

Lastly, the stories of recovery, and life after the disease, have have changed my friend's sister's outlook on her chances of surviving this dreaded cancer. that, in and of itself, makes the book a "must read" for those battling the colorectal cancer, as well as those helping the patient navigate the process.


Janet Jones

Finding this book was such a relief! It is difficult to find quality reading material that deals with this subject, especially in such a comforting, and easy-to-understand format. As a cancer survivor, and somebody who has been through many of the things described in this book, I would highly recommend it to everyone diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer. This book will walk you through the ordeal beginning at day one.

This is a great book. It is humorous, but much more important, it is informative, uplifting, and inspirational. Bob Cull imparts wisdom to all by reminding us to make the most of each day and to let the people we love know that we love them now, while we can.

It's Half Past Midnight: A Poignant, Practical and Humorous Trip Through My Colon Bob has a wonderful way of approaching life. I believe this book gives people going through a very tough time hope and insights that will help make the road easier. Read it and give it to a friend or family member. It will raise you awareness and lift your spirits.

This book has relevancy to almost anyone, as it addresses concerns faced by those with a cancer diagnosis and anyone who may know them. It provides amazing insight into the thought process of someone moving through this difficult health challenge, while striving to maintain an attitude that the glass is always 'half full'. While it provides much-needed practical advice, it successfully emphasizes the importance of maintaining a 'practical and humorous' outlook on an often difficult health challenge. If you or someone you know is faced with cancer of any kind, this book would be a great gift of comfort. I have ordered several extra copies to share with dear friends who find themselves faced with cancer each and every day.

About the Author: There is a fairly long history of Dr. Mackey's life and career already on this site. My own knowledge of Francis Mackey is more personal. He is a resident of the same retirement community in which my mother lives. I met Dr. Mackey at the retirement community. I know him as an extraordinarily caring and compassionate physician. Although retired, Francis is always available to offer his caring support to all. This book arose out of Dr. Mackey's own battles with colon cancer and is his gift to all of us - women and men who have been diagnosed with colon cancer, their wives, children, and friends.

Who Should Read this Book: This is a book for men and women over 50 and their families and friends. In my view, medical students, nurses, and physicians should also read it.

What You'll Learn: About the Normal and Not-So-Normal Colon - The book begins with a description of the normal colon, along with a helpful diagram. Dr. Mackey then goes on to explain the importance of polyps, the "culprit" in colon cancer. In easy-to-understand language, Dr. Mackey explains the various kinds of polyps, where they are likely to be located in the colon, and the various tests to reveal polyps. Later in the book, Dr. Mackey makes a strong case for the use of a colonoscopy. Currently, many health insurance plans don't cover colonoscopies, finding them too expensive. The book argues persuasively that the failure to cover colonoscopies not only results in unnecessary deaths but also costs all of us more over the long run. In chapters 5-8, Dr. Mackey recounts his own experience with surgery and chemotherapy. These very personal chapters contain invaluable information for those fighting colon cancer. Here we learn about the importance of personal hygiene, dealing with depression, fighting pain, the need for exercise, checking your medications, the use of complementary medicines, prayer, etc.

Reviewer's Summary: Why Die of Colon Cancer? is a well-researched and clearly written book. Those of us who follow Dr. Mackey's advice will no doubt live free of colon cancer. For many of us who have health insurance that will not cover a colonoscopy and who do not have the personal means to pay for the test, this book is a call-to-action.

Why Die of Colon Cancer? by Francis G. Mackey, M. D., describes, in laymen's' terms, how one can virtually "immunize" oneself and one's loved ones against colon cancer, the second-largest form of cancer-killer that claims 60,000 lives a year. As such, this book is literally a "gift of life." The key: getting a colonoscopy, a painless procedure, every 7 to 10 years (upon reaching 35 if there's a history of colon cancer in one's family, or other risk factors; or, starting at age 40-50 if not).

Written in an engaging, straightforward, highly readable, and conversational tone- and a quick read (the main body is 80 pages)-Why Die? is one of the most important books to read this year for every adult who is 30 and over.

Why Die of Colon Cancer? is important and timely because it debunks as inadequate, misleading, and a waste of time and money the four other unpleasant colon-cancer diagnostic procedures that still remain widely recommended: the digital rectal examination, the fecal occult blood test, the sigmoidoscopy, and the barium-enema x-ray. Read this book, and you'll be armed with all the facts you'll need to talk your doctor out of these hugely flawed and dreaded procedures! As one who has had an uncomfortable and useless sigmoidoscopy and a painless and reliable colonscopy, I guarantee this knowledge is worth the price of the book alone!

The book (a) describes the colonoscopy, the procedure you should ask -- no, insist-- of your doctor; (b) persuades you or a loved one to get a colonoscopy, if you or (s)he is reluctant to get it; and (c) relates first-hand testimony by a very knowledgeable, insightful and compassionate doctor-patient-author of the consequences of colon cancer and how to cope with them. It is an excellent resource for those who have been struck by this terrible disease, and includes 33 pages of a glossary and appendices with reviews of helpful books and web sites.

Executives, doctors, and regulators of the health care delivery and health insurance fields will find Why Die? invaluable. It makes the medical AND dollars-and-cents case for the broad adoption of colonscopy screening by all health maintenance and care organizations. It also makes a great hand-out to patients who need colonscopies but are resisting recommendations.

Dr. Mackey wanted to make sure his last act of medical careÐ this book, a gift of life for us allÐ was published before he died of colon cancer. Please accept his gift. No one need die of this disease as he did March 17, 2001.

Dr. Mackey offers a wealth of practical, informed, and first-hand advice on how to avoid a basically avoidable disease - colon cancer. From his own experiences and medical knowledge, he talks sensitively, but persuasively about the power each of us has to take charge of our lives. If nothing else, I learned two things: One, that a colonoscopy is far more preferable in the proper course of prevention of colon cancer than a Sigmoid by itself (or even in combination with anything else). And two, in today's time-pressed and dollars-pressed medical environment, it is extremely important for each of us to ask questions of our medical professionals and to learn as much as possible about the diseases they diagnose in us and the efficacy of the various options that exist to combat them. But most importantly, the best way to combat cancer or most any other disease is education, communication, and prevention.

This book is well written. It answers many questions, and does so in a light-hearted fashion - without compromising the great information. I never thought I could laugh while reading a gut book, and learn a great deal at the same time! Has tips on how to avoid getting traveler's sickness, and how to stay healthy on an every day basis. There is also a good section on nutrition with meal suggestions. I highly recommend this book!

For a lay person, this is the perfect book. It's easy to read, well laid out, and helps me understand not only how to deal with current problems, but also how to prevent new ones. I've already told by three adult sons to buy it, and now I'm going to tell my brothers and sister and their kids.

A very readable book filled with many very helpful tips for anyone specifically interested in cancer prevention or wellness in general. It has many sometimes surprising concepts and suggestions which if followed would lead to a happier and healthier lifestyle. A wide variety of subjects are discussed. It is easy to follow and doesn't use medical jargon which makes it useful to anyone interested in good health.

The illustrations alone make this a worthwhile buy, whether you're a gastroenterologist or just extremely interested in colonoscopies. Ever since Katie Couric's live colonoscopy on TODAY, I've been intrigued by the procedure, considering it something of an art form as well as an intrusive medical procedure. But Abraham Dachman and his team of writers make a compelling argument for the use of Virtual Colonoscopy in lieu of long tubes, nano-cameras, and liquid barium. It's a brave new world.