Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 600,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. Although mortality continues to rise due to the increased incidence of disease, cancer patients more than ever are faced with the prospect of being cured or having their disease reach a prolonged phase of remission. The prospect of cancer presents many confusing options to patients and the tools used to diagnose and treat their disease often seem quite mysterious. Although patients deeply desire an understanding of this(and why they have been stricken), physicians often grapple with how best to explain this to patients in a way that is comprehensible but not overwhelming. Many cancer patients also take on a very proactive role in garnering knowledge about their illness, and actively search out internet resources and obtain patient handouts from individual societies about it.Sekeres and Stern's Facing Cancer will serve to fill a deep void in the literature. Although successful tomes on the clinical management of cancer abound in the literature, no comprehensive resource has emerged to date in that provides oncology professionals with guidance in explaining to patients the mechanisms of their disease and how they will potentially experience its treatment . This is arguably the most relevant moment for a resource of this nature, considering the vast array of therapeutic options that are allowing patients to survive their illness longer and return to a relatively normal style of life(albeit often with several complications).

The goal for the book will be to convey key "patient-friendly" information on the full spectrum of the physical and psychosocial manifestations of cancer and its treatment, as well as what options that are available for managing their illness. Through the use of tables and a concise, outline-oriented text, cancer, its treatment, and complications for each region and organ-site will be described in detail. Separate background chapters on discrete therapeutic modalities and supportive care regimens, as well a issues involving hospice care and end-of-life are also included. We also are proposing that a companion CD containing the full text of the book be bundled together with the print version. This would allow users the ability to print out specific sections of the book for distribution to patients and their family members.