Rating: 
Summary: This should be REQUIRED reading for women.
Review: A breast cancer diagnosis puts a woman's life into a free-fall. Dr. Link explains how to take charge of a situation over which you feel you have no control. He has offered a concise, up-to-date compilation of information necessary for a pro-active role in breast cancer treatment. He lets women know in understandable language that there are options available and helps sort throught the facts in order to make intelligent, informed decisions.I discovered Dr. Link's book AFTER I had been diagnosed and had already received a second opinion on my own. He helped me sort throught the maze of chemotherapy treatments, and gave me the confidence I needed to make the right choices for me. I was so impressed with his book that I have donated copies to our local hospital to be given to women at the time of initial diagnosis. If you are facing this nightmare of a journey, take this book with you...
Rating:
Summary: Quite technical, but excellent
Review: After getting them for my mom, I highly recommend this book and his other one ("Take Charge of Your Breast Cancer"). There's quite a bit of overlap, but I wouldn't want to be without either one.
I wish we had read this book before we rushed into surgery. It discusses some situations in which chemo is done BEFORE the surgery, with the advantage that you can see whether the chemo is working or not by how much the tumor shrinks. Often less radical surgery is then necessary. Too late now...
Also recommended for many helpful tips and a warm tone (but it's about a year less up to date than this book): "Just Get Me Through This". A great overview and starting place before the books by Dr. Link.
Rating:
Summary: A must read for newly diagnosed patients and their families.
Review: As a personal trainer and post-rehabilitation specialist I have worked with many breast cancer patients. This book is an easy to understand, comprehensive compilation of information that patients and their families NEED to know. Particularly refreshing were the sections on seeking additional diagnosis opinions and participating fully in your treatment plans. Too often the patient is left out of the loop and ends of a "victim" of their treatment. The author explains what you should and shouldn't be included in, and why. I found this a quick and simple read. Perfect for the spouse, parents or children of the patient. I read it in an afternoon and then referred back to it as needed. I bought it for a client and am now recommending it to all my breast cancer clients. Great book!
Rating:
Summary: For women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer
Review: Dr. Link has written exactly what his title promises: a manual that will educate women on how to survive a diagnosis of breast cancer. He teaches us how to pick a team of specialists, how to make adjuvant therapy choices, management of side effects, diet. etc. Dr. Link is a practicing internist and oncologist, founder of the Breast Center in Long Beach, California, and also director of the Pacific Coast Breast Center in Torrance, California. The author treats women with breast cancer, rather than having survived the disease himself, so the `Survival Manual' is a less personalized account than, say, "The Breast Cancer Companion" by Kathy Latour. It is written with one degree of separation, and teaches rather than consoles. For example, he writes, "I think it is helpful to understand the mechanism of hair loss with these drugs so you realize its true temporary quality," rather than, "When our hair starts to fall out, it is yet another violation of our bodies and one that most women felt was much more visible and hard to conceal than the loss of a breast." (quoted from "The Breast Cancer Companion" by Kathy Latour.) Dr. Link's writing style is very much exemplified by his introductory quotation: "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood---Marie Curie." This is a very direct, honest book that can help women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer, "understand their situation and develop a plan to optimize a cure." It contains questions at the end of each chapter (called `checkpoints') that women should ask themselves during each stage of diagnosis and treatment, e.g. "Who is in charge of my surveillance after the end of treatment?" at the end of the chapter entitled, "Fear of Recurrence." There is a good list of further breast cancer resources at book's end, including an Internet site with Dr. Link's continuing updates to this manual (breastlinkcare).
Rating:
Summary: For women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer
Review: Dr. Link has written exactly what his title promises: a manual that will educate women on how to survive a diagnosis of breast cancer. He teaches us how to pick a team of specialists, how to make adjuvant therapy choices, management of side effects, diet. etc. Dr. Link is a practicing internist and oncologist, founder of the Breast Center in Long Beach, California, and also director of the Pacific Coast Breast Center in Torrance, California. The author treats women with breast cancer, rather than having survived the disease himself, so the 'Survival Manual' is a less personalized account than, say, "The Breast Cancer Companion" by Kathy Latour. It is written with one degree of separation, and teaches rather than consoles. For example, he writes, "I think it is helpful to understand the mechanism of hair loss with these drugs so you realize its true temporary quality," rather than, "When our hair starts to fall out, it is yet another violation of our bodies and one that most women felt was much more visible and hard to conceal than the loss of a breast." (quoted from "The Breast Cancer Companion" by Kathy Latour.) Dr. Link's writing style is very much exemplified by his introductory quotation: "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood---Marie Curie." This is a very direct, honest book that can help women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer, "understand their situation and develop a plan to optimize a cure." It contains questions at the end of each chapter (called 'checkpoints') that women should ask themselves during each stage of diagnosis and treatment, e.g. "Who is in charge of my surveillance after the end of treatment?" at the end of the chapter entitled, "Fear of Recurrence." There is a good list of further breast cancer resources at book's end, including an Internet site with Dr. Link's continuing updates to this manual (breastlinkcare).
Rating:
Summary: Convinced me to get a second opinion
Review: I aggree with most of the other reviews: you or your partner must read this book when breast cancer is diagnosed. It gives your clear information about you chances and options. For me, it convinced me to make a girl friend ask for a second opinion, which led to another treatment with better chances. And it gives a lot of information about the drug Tamoxifen, which is used quit offen in treating breast cancer.
Rating:
Summary: The 1st book to pick up for anyone who is newly diagnosed
Review: I bought this book recently after my girlfriend was diagnosed with breast cancer. THE BREAST CANCER SURVIVAL MANUAL is informative and easy to read. I feel empowered understanding the disease as well as the options my friend has with the up-to-date method of treatment. I highly recommend this book to anyone, including friends or family members of those who have just been diagnosed with breast cancer. It also should be the first book to read for anyone who wants to be informed about breast cancer and the current treatment.
Rating:
Summary: The 1st book to pick up for anyone who is newly diagnosed
Review: I bought this book recently after my girlfriend was diagnosed with breast cancer. THE BREAST CANCER SURVIVAL MANUAL is informative and easy to read. I feel empowered understanding the disease as well as the options my friend has with the up-to-date method of treatment. I highly recommend this book to anyone, including friends or family members of those who have just been diagnosed with breast cancer. It also should be the first book to read for anyone who wants to be informed about breast cancer and the current treatment.
Rating:
Summary: quick read and easy to comprehend
Review: This is the best and most comprehensive book that I have found concerning breast cancer. I have bought a few other books on the subject and found this the easiest to comprehend. The information is complete and the guidence it has given me is a comfort. The information this book has to offer has given me the confidence needed to beat this disease. Thank-you Dr. Link, and Melissa Jeffries as well as all the others involved in this book for giving us a manual that answers so many questions. J.Freeland RN
Rating: 
Summary: A very good manual - most useful for the details
Review: This small book packs a lot of punch. No other books go into as much detail on how chemotherapy medicines work, or why medicines are combined the way they are. This book is meant to empower women through the tough decisions, and throughout the entire treatment cycle. Not much time is wasted on outdated statistics or information, and the book recognizes the limits of printed paper and recommends worthwhile websites. The chapters on side effects, menopause, and nutrition are especially cogent. Highly recommended.
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