The American Cancer Society : Colorectal Cancer

Rating:
Summary: Learning about colon cancer after diagnosis
Review: After I was diagnosed as having colon cancer, I started reading books to get a better understanding about the disease. This book was the best one I read.

The author explains colon cancer in a technical manner, but in a way that the average person can understand the subject. It is written clearly and provided me an excellent reference to question my doctors during the decision making and to be prepared after the operation.

The author also spends time discussing diet as a possible preventive for cancer cancer. Since one who has had colon cancer is a candidate for its reoccurence, the chapters about diet are a good reference for the future.

If a person is concerned about colon cancer, this book should be in his library.

Rating:
Summary: Informative book for colorectal cancer patients
Review: Colorectal Cancer: A Thorough and Compassionate Resource For Patients and Their FAmilies by Bernard Levin M.D.

This book covers the required topics, a patient and their relatives should learn about the disease. Hence I chose this book among all the listed books for colorectal cancer. It is very well organized to educate patients in a concise and compassionate manner. The first hand experience of several patients as examples makes me aware the importance of early diagnosis and educate that colorectal cancer is highly curable and need not be alarmed as we usually fear about cancer. Pictures also clearly depict how this cancer differs from other kinds and cured if it is diagnosed at early stage and prevented from recurrence.

Topics pertaining to causes of the disease are informative especially the influence of diet as many of us are not aware of the limit of any food even if they are nutritionally good. It elaborates on the lists of food to be consumed to prevent the disease, during chemotherapy and for patients after the surgery. The significance and role of minerals, vitamins, calcium and antioxidants in prevention is helpful to plan the diet individually. It also discusses about anticancer agents like NSAIDS, hormones and other chemopreventive agents. It is misleading since a layman may decide to consume as a preventive measures but it might be higher the limit. Side effects that will occur if they are not recommended should be included in detail.

Topics concerning stages and treatment is dealt well and morally supports the patient. For example if the patient is undergone surgery to remove tumor he need not be scared as it is a final stage and life is short if the statistical data of colorectal cancer survivors rate is included. Though five-year survival rate is clearly mentioned for all stages. It would be useful for patients and their family members to learn the total years of any patient survived after the cure or the treatment with any stage. Different types of classification in staging the disease are listed and compared to each other for better understanding. Histology analysis of the cancerous tissue (differences between cancer and normal cells and their pattern of differentiation) could be included. Recipes included are very easy to prepare for a patient and highly balanced to meet the daily calorific needs. It is crucial for an individual to read this book and be aware of the methods for early diagnosis and make use of it as it may occur to any one.

Rating:
Summary: ACS is in bed with pharmaceutical companies
Review: I would never trust anything the American Cancer Society says. They are very biased in favor of expensive pharmaceuticals with cancer-causing side-effects. They are the wealthiest "charity" in America, with cash reserves of $1 Billion.

The Role of the ACS in the War Against Cancer

The verdict is unassailable. The American Cancer Society bears a major responsibility for losing the winnable war against cancer.
The launching of the 1971 War Against Cancer provided the ACS with a well-exploited opportunity to pursue it own myopic and self-interested agenda. Its strategies remain based on two lies -- that there has been dramatic progress in the treatment and cure of cancer, and that any increase in the incidence and mortality of cancer is due to aging of the population and smoking while denying any significant role for involuntary exposures to industrial carcinogens in air, water, consumer products and the workplace.

Most of the funds raised by ACS go to pay overhead, salaries, fringe benefits, and travel expenses of its national executives in Atlanta. They also go to pay Chief Executive Officers, who earn six-figure salaries in several states, and the hundreds of other employees who work out of some 3,000 regional offices nationwide. The typical ACS affiliate, which helps raise the money for the national office, spends more than 52 percent of its budget on salaries, pensions, fringe benefits, and overhead for its own employees.

Salaries and overhead for most ACS affiliates also exceeded 50 percent, although most direct community services are handled by unpaid volunteers. DiLorenzo summed up his findings by emphasizing the hoarding of funds by the ACS.

"Most contributors believe their donations are being used to fight cancer, not to accumulate financial reserves. More progress in the war against cancer would be made if they would divest some of their real estate holdings and use the proceeds -- as well as a portion of their cash reserves -- to provide more cancer services."

Aside from high salaries and overhead, most of what is left of the ACS budget goes to basic research and research into profitable, patented cancer drugs.

The current budget of the ACS is $380 million and its cash reserves approach one billion dollars. Yet its aggressive fund-raising campaign continues to plead poverty, and lament the lack of available money for cancer research, while ignoring efforts to prevent cancer by phasing out avoidable exposures to environmental and occupational carcinogens.

Meanwhile, the ACS is silent about its intricate relationships with the wealthy cancer drug industry and chemical industries.

Read more....... http://www.corporations.org/cancer/boycottacs.html