Previvors : Facing the Breast Cancer Gene and Making Life-Changing Decisions

by Port, Dina Roth

• ISBN13: 9781583334058
• ISBN10: 158333405X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-10-05
• Publisher: Penguin Group USA

Summary

The first guide to all surgical and nonsurgical options for women with a high risk for breast cancer. Advances in genetic testing and risk assessment have changed the face of medicine, but with them has come a Pandora's box of dilemmas. Imagine discovering you had a significant risk for developing breast cancer. What would you do? Through the incredible true stories of five young friends, as well as interviews with more than seventy top breast cancer experts, health writer Dina Roth Port addresses the universal questions of women everywhere who have watched family members suffer from the disease and wondered, "Am I next?" Full of practical information, Previvorsis the first comprehensive book to guide women through the difficult process of determining their risk, weighing the options, and coping with the emotions of deciding to undergo surgery. Readers will learn: •The pros and cons of getting tested for the BRCA gene •How to decide between surgical or nonsurgical options •The latest research in breast cancer surveillance •The advanced new world of breast reconstruction •How to overcome body image and sex issues post-surgery, and more From navigating health insurance coverage to finding the right medical team, Previvorsis an invaluable resource for women facing decisions about their risk and future health.

Author Biography

Diana Roth Port served as an assistant health editor at Glamour magazine and as an editor at Parenting. Now a full-time freelance writer, she lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
previvors	p. 1
living in fear	p. 7
what's my risk?	p. 25
to test or not to test	p. 45
weighing the options: nonsurgical	p. 57
weighing the options: surgical	p. 73
money matters	p. 91
a controversial decision	p. 109
defusing the time bomb: a step-by-step guide to prophylactic surgery	p. 121
love, sex, and babies	p. 153
breast obsession and body image	p. 171
the hidden killer in men	p. 189
a mother's legacy	p. 197
a promising future	p. 211
Afterword	p. 231
Acknowledgments	p. 235
Notes	p. 243
Resources	p. 255
Index	p. 259
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