From the Consumer Connection, a publication of the American Medical Library Association
Lydiatt, William M. and Perry J. Johnson Cancers of the Head & Neck: From Diagnosis to Treatment, 3rd ed. Omaha, NE: Addicus Books, 2019, 190 pages, ISBN: 987-1-943886-82-1. $19.95.
For those who have been diagnosed with any form of head or neck cancer, this book is a wealth of information. Beginning with a clear plain language explanation of what cancer is, the authors go on to describe methods of head and neck cancer diagnosis, liberally review treatment options, and continue a step further to discuss topics on recovery. This third edition is an update of the 2001 and 2012 editions of Cancers of the Mouth and Throat: A Patient’s Guide to Treatment.
Developments in cancer diagnosis and treatments are continually advancing. Cancers of the Head & Neck presents the newest findings from the seven-year span since the previous edition and covers causes, symptoms, treatments (including alternative treatments and clinical trials), side effects, pain management, reconstructive surgery, and rehabilitation. This edition’s illustrations and photographs have also been updated.
Throughout the book, readers will find supportive and uplifting quotes from patients. Also interspersed are four poems from Pulitzer Prize winner and former U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, best known for his poem “Delights & Shadows,” These vignettes and compositions resonate with the authors’ interests in patients’ quality of life and the prevention of depression, by providing help with emotional coping and understanding.
In Cancers of the Head and Neck the authors aim to supply sufficient comprehensible information about these relatively uncommon cancers, enabling patients to be informed enough to ask questions and be involved in their own treatment plans. The book truly walks the reader through the entire process including post treatment and follow-up advice for lifestyle and support.
An extensive appendix gives short descriptions of various cancer surgeries, including reconstruction and potential disabilities and complications. There is also a resource list of support organizations and associations, a glossary, and an index.
This book is highly recommended for all consumer health libraries.
Reviewed by Karin Bennedsen, MLIS, AHIP, Research Support Librarian, Sturgis Library, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA
