Melanoma Books

Quick delivery and I loved the book. It was so much better then I
expected. Would recommend it.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Had never heard of the author until I saw him on the Glenn Beck TV program. I liked the testimony he had, so I decided to read this book, along with "The Gift" and "The Christmas Box". They were all well written and enjoyable to read.

Reading Finding Noel is truly a gift. The stories give one a sense of pleasure as well as serenity. This is the tenth book of Richard Paul Evan's literature that I have read. I look forward to reading The Gift next. My husband used to give me Evan's new book each year for Christmas. After his death, I sort of forgot about getting one as a gift. Recently, I went and purchased Finding Noel and The Gift to add to my collection. The covers are exquisite and the paper with the ragged edge makes it a reminder of past days. These books would make a wonderful gift for a birthday, Hannukkah or for Christmas or even for no reason at all. I highly recommend them.

The irony of fictional writing is that it works best when it comes from a real place. According to author Richard Paul Evans, the background story of his novel "Finding Noel," is drawn from the real-life story of Celeste Edmunds, a woman with whom he used to work.

As with his previous books, this is a personal work for Evans; he uses family names, origins, religion, illness and little slice-of-life things like recipes, traditions and tips to give a homey feel to his characters and story.

"Finding Noel" is also the first book of fiction that features a character diagnosed with eye cancer. Through the character Joette, Evans exposes millions of readers to this rare disease - only 2,000 adults are diagnosed each year - in a way that mainstream media and the inaccessible medical literature have not. For that alone, Evans and his fictional work are the real deal.

I came across this book after doing a search on choriadal melanoma. My dad was diagnosed 5 days before Christmas. I am happy to say he was treated with Radioactive Plaque Therapy in NYC just this past week and the doctor tells us the tumor is dead - gone!! I believe I will have to wait a while until my emotions settle a bit to read it though!

This book provides an accurate reference for someone interested in this subject. It can be too truthful for someone faced with this awful disease. Therefore beware of giving it to a sufferer or carer whom you wish to shield from the facts.

this book was full of good info and good photos of stages of skin problems. This is a must own book for all Southern Californians.

This book is for anyone who has been diagnosed with Melanoma. It is written in a way that is easy to understand. Knowledge is needed with this disease since it is so different from other cancers. I found answers I haven't been able to find from my husbands oncologists. Excellent book!

I got this book because I have moles and wanted to learn more about them and understand the diagnosis and treatment for melanoma.

The glossary and index were very helpful. The best aspect for me was the photos of moles and the chapter on skin warning signs.

Part I of the book starts with recognizing and preventing melanoma. Part II of the book focuses on Melanoma and the treatment. Part III is the less common types along with research.

I found this book to be a wonderful resource as I hit 45. The diagrams are useful as well.

This book was an encellent source for me and my family regarding my recent diagnosis of Melanoma. I read the entire book in one day and refer back to it very often! Highly recommended reading that is on a level everyone can understand.

In Life Lines, Anthony Edey draws upon his experiences with Parkinson's Disease and Cancer to craft a poetry which is both serious and hilarious at the same time. Enhanced with line drawn illustrations by Iris Edey and a section of black & white photographs, the poetry comprising this slender volume is as unique as it is memorable. The Final Cure: I hear that I ought to tart smoking,/Just try a medicinal pack./Inhale all the nice levadopa/My little gray cells seem to lack.//I hear that the feeling-good factor/Is just what I'm missing of late./A packet of Gaulloise should fix it,/I'd happily asphyxiate.//It's really a strange contradiction/That smoking could see this thing off./Instead of a long life of shaking/I'd die nice and slow of a cough!//On balance it seems quite apparent,/The treatment is worse than the cure./Through Parkinson's may not be perfect,/It's better than smoking, for sure.

We think that the book is a real light that shines on the fundamental questions of life that many of us manage to ignore.

Life Lines, especially the poem about Sam, made us think again about what is important in our own lives.

Edey captures his feelings and shares his personal revelations with wit and humility as he goes through his acceptance of the diseases that have attacked his body....the art work that accompanies each poem was lovingly brought to life by his wife, a gifted artist. The book is a joy to read and upon which to reflect.

Anthony Edey has written a wonderful book to be appreciated by all, but particularly by those facing serious illness. The book shares humor and sensitivity, and demonstrates how keeping a positive perspective has allowed him to find hope for the future and cherish the simple blessings of everyday life. Parkinson's disease and cancer are tough challenges for anyone. The lesson Anthony teaches with this book is that they can readily be faced with the best medicines: positive thoughts, the love and support of friends and family, a fighting attitude and humor. Bravo, and thank you, Anthony!

Life Lines was meant as a double-entendre by Edey -- "life lines" as throwing them out to save someone drowning in adversity, and lines by the words used by this man who charismatically wrote about his experiences in being treated for skin cancer and Parkinson's Disease. We've heard actor Michael J. Fox talk publicly about his life with PD, and like Fox, Edey provides a service to those who read his words. In Life Lines, Edey takes a "that's life" attitude with his health issues, and makes us chuckle in the face of reality.

Dad was suffering from Melanoma Cancer and I bought this book for Mom, who doesn't have internet access. After doctor appointments, she'd find herself with more and more questions she should have asked. This book answered so many of them. It also prepared her for what to expect as the cancer progressed. I'm very thankful I purchased this book for Mom. She felt prepared for the possibilities of what was to come. It also, in some ways, helped her stay strong knowing that certain side effects would occur. Melanoma is such a painful cancer and more awareness is definitely needed. This book should be read by anyone with small children and by those spending a lot of time outside in the elements. Maybe hearing about the side effects of melanoma will get us all to wear sunscreen each and every day. Anyway, if you are caring for someone with Melanoma or have a family member or friend who has it, BUY THIS BOOK and read it cover to cover.

This book is a must for any melanoma patient or their family.

As a one-year survivor of Stage II melanoma, this book was great in helping me deal with my diagnosis and what could have been ahead.

Dr. McClay also happens to be my personal oncologist and he's a fantastic and caring doctor.

If you've been diagnosed with melanoma, this book is a must! The day I was told I had cancer, I was so frightened and confused. The doctor asked me if I had any questions, and I couldn't think of anything! The word "cancer!" just kept going through my mind. After reading this book, I was able to clear my head and not only ask questions, but ask the "right" questions. The only thing it didn't cover is the fact that it is sometimes difficult to diagnose melanoma. Sometimes the results are not black or white...there are also grey areas. But all in all, this book was extremely informative. Highly recomended.

I am at high risk for skin cancer being pale skinned, light eyed, blonde and living in San Diego. I never knew it was better for me to use sunblock and stay out of the sun instead of trying to go for a base tan, especially in a tanner. Tans only have a suncreen of SPF 5, come to find out. And even people with naturally dark skin need to wear sunblock because they can get skin cancer too, often in parts that go unchecked due to the fact people think their darker skin isn't at risk! These are two of the many "myths" brought out in this guide. Everyone should read this book so they know the facts about these horrible diseases.

This book blew my mind. I have found out the difference between UVA and UVB (and UVC) rays, how to protect myself from the sun and how to check myself to make sure I don't have skin cancer. I am not a real sun lover, but I amazed at all the myths people have about how the sun is healthy and how it is ok to hang out in the sun...people worry more about terrorism and serial killers than the sun and more people will die from skin cancer than dying, let's say, in a plane...it confuses me how people can be so little informed.

This book was written well. It is easy to read and it is sectioned in a way that it is easy to get to the answer you need. I was only going to read the first half, since the rest is about what to do if you have skin cancer, but I read that too, because it was interesting and I would rather know and be prepared if it happens in my future than not know. Like I say, this should be given out at schools in the San Diego area since many of them make the kids eat outside, which is the worst thing for them.

Finally, a skin book with all the info you never seem to get time to ask your doctor. Or in my case recently, my HMO Dr. just casually reassures me there's no problem. I have too many friends/relatives that got the same treatment only to end up with serious skin melanomas. This is a very good refrence.

When my husband was diagnosed unexpectedly with malignant melanoma last fall, I scoured the internet and available books for all the information I could find re: interpreting his symptoms, stage and prognosis.

This book was a God-Send. In very succinct, non-alarmist (but non-sugar-coated) easy-to-comprehend speech, Dr. Kaufman presents an accessible resource for those whose lives are impacted by melanoma. This text has been invaluable for interpreting and assimilating information given in the appointments with the numerous caregivers involved in melanoma management/eradication.

Dr. Kaufman's suggestions and directives also help us to be pro-active in our questioning, and affirm the need for continual vigilence and monitoring.

Thankfully, my husband's prognosis is very good...and periodically I pick this book up to remind me that it is!

I'd heartily recommend this book to anyone who needs a sound perspective on melanoma, and on doing what can be done to prevent recurrence.

Very informative. Easy to read. It includes the most recent information for 2005.

Dr. Kaufman's book is an educational and invaluable discussion of the facts of melanoma, both its prevention and its treatment. His work is relevant to everyone, since melanoma's number of victims is rising faster than that of any other cancer. His advice on how to prevent the disease, backed up by informative graphs and statistics, is practical and useful. He competently reviews many possible treatment options, letting the reader know what is available to her and the costs and benefits of each option. He even ventures into the realm of melanoma research, describing and commenting on progress being made in its treatment. No melanoma patient should be without this book.

Chuck's story not only touches those who have been through the rigors of chemo and cancer, but all those who pick up this book. Written with warmth and compassion, Chuck takes us through his life and trials with melanoma and makes you laugh, cry, smile and makes you just want to hug the next person you see. Thank you Chuck for sharing your life with us.

Chuck Myer has given the reader his first-person insights into battling one of the most disastrous types of cancer, malignant melanoma. Although the subject is certainly not funny, Chuck has brought his wry sense of humor to bear on the subject, as well as his skills as a writer. From the first inkling of the disease through treatments (in hospital and self-administered by injection at home) and a roller coaster of worry, dismay, strength, hope, and relapse. Chuck's memoir will serve not only as his own legacy -- or rather one legacy of a varied and productive life -- but as inspiration to cancer patients and their friends and families. The book might also be of great value to medical professionals at all levels (whether physician, nurse, or aide) in gaining insight into the experiences of their patients.

Disclosure: At Chuck's request, in order to make this book available to as wide an audience as feasible in a timely manner, I published this edition. It has been a privilege to do so.

This book is an excellent abbreviated reference for anyone dealing with hematology/oncology (nurses, pharmacists, residents). It has a very logical format and is updated annually. The prior year version is on-line for free (currently 2001) on cancernetwork.com. The references for chemotherapy regimens are helpful and the explanations of radiological and surgical procedures are easy to understand. By all means, it does not replace William's Hematology or DeVita's Oncology references, but is definitely a great place to start.

Rick Miller, Pharm.D.
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Hematology/Oncology

The field of melanocytic lesions is far from precise, but this book attempts to break down the individual criteria necessary to render a diagnosis on nearly all of the pigmented lesions. The writing is very easy to read along with and many times, it almost feels like you are double-scoping the case with the author. I'm sure there are some points within the text that others would consider controversial, but from a 'broadening my point of view' approach - I have enjoyed this text immensely.

I lost my wife to a rapidly-fatal cancer over a year ago, and since then well-meaning friends have sent me various books written by widowers about their loss of spouse. This genre includes books by amateurs and professional authors. I have found most of these books difficult to relate to and not very readable. For me "Hope" was a refreshing exception. Meryman's account of his wife's terminal illness is remarkably well- written and easy to read. His ability to recall details is amazing, and his insights are impressive. Fortunately he follows himself through the critical two years after his wife's death and briefly into his second marriage. This makes the book particularly helpful to widowers who have made it through the difficult first year and who are ready to look both backwards and forwards at their personal journey.

This fascinating little volume (only 121 pages), documents a symposium held to honor Dr. Manschot, the 1979 recipient of the Snellen Medal, the Netherlands's award in ophthalmology.

In 12 short papers, uveal melanoma researchers such as Oosterhuis, Zimmerman and McLean, Manschot and van Peperzeel, among others, discuss clinical versus histopathological diagnosis, tumor doubling rates, natural history cases, treatment modalities (enucleation v. radiation), metastatic disease and mortality rates, proposing theories confirmed by the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS), more than 20 years later.

What all these ocular oncologists have in common - despite their differences of opinion - are their incredible powers of observation and analysis and bold argumentation in challenging the assumptions about the causes of and treatment for uveal melanoma (also called choroidal melanoma, eye cancer, eye melanoma, ocular melanoma, intraocular melanoma or eye cancer).

Zimmerman's radical thesis, later disproved, that enucleation caused dissemination of metastatic disease, nonetheless forced a change in the standard of care from enucleation to globe-sparing plaque therapy.

Manschot's powerful argument about the risks of tumor doubling times on both primary and secondary disease progression, led to earlier diagnosis of suspicious lesions and research toward chromosomes and prognostic molecular testing.

These visionaries not only anticipated the COMS results, but also the revolution in molecular biology. That invaluable historical perspective keeps this 30-year old book relevant today. And their broad, well-read and multidisciplinary perspective, has inspired current clinicians such as J.W. Harbour, C.L and J. Shields, Dan Albert, Hans Grossniklaus and Bruce Ksander among many others who will help us see the next revolution in uveal melanoma.