Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

Cancer, edited by Jeffrey A. Knight. 4 vols., 1408 p. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-58765-505-0. $395.

According to the American Cancer Society, one out of every two American men and one in three American women will get cancer in their lifetimes. As the baby boomers approach retirement, it’s important to recall that over three quarters of all cancers are diagnosed in people over the age of 55. These demographics indicate a need for reliable, non-technical resources for medical patients, families and friends of those with cancer. This comprehensive collection, edited by the chairman of the biology department at Mount Holyoke College, offers concise, current information on a broad array of topics related to cancer. Specific disease entries follow a consistent format, which includes “also known as” terms, related conditions, a definition, risk factors, the disease process, incidence, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment and prognosis, prevention and outcomes. Essays on carcinogens, drugs, technologies, procedures and therapies follow a similarly consistent pattern. Other topics include cancer-related syndromes, genetics, the biology of cancer, medical specialties, alternative therapies, preventive strategies and a range of related social issues. The purchase of this set includes access to an online version of the text, which is part of the broader Salem Health online database umbrella. The value-added in the online version includes hyperlinked definitions of medical terms and links to both “see also” topics and additional resources. The photographs in the print version help illustrate key ideas about concepts; the online versions are frequently color, allow for more contrast and often can be viewed in larger formats. Great care has been taken to describe complicated medical topics in everyday language. Tables, charts, graphs, photographs and illustrations supplement the text and shed additional light on topics. Each volume includes a complete list of the alphabetically arranged contents; the last volume includes appendices of drug names (both generic and trade), associations and agencies, cancer centers and hospitals, cancer support groups and a description of carcinogens, a glossary of medical terms, and a bibliography organized by category. Also included in the final volume are a category and general index. Highly recommended for high school, public and college libraries.