Anticancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber
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Book Reviews of Anticancer: A New Way of Life
Book Review: "Enjoy the benefits of medical progress and the body's natural defenses."
Summary: 5 Stars
In "Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life," French-born psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. David Servan-Schreiber discusses his fifteen-year battle with brain cancer. Although conventional treatments worked initially, the cancer recurred. Fortunately, he has been cancer-free for the past seven years, and he attributes his success to an anti-cancer regimen that, he asserts, boosts the body's natural defenses. Dr. Servan-Schreiber does NOT encourage cancer patients to reject their doctors' advice concerning surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. However, he does believe that there is nothing to lose and everything to gain by making changes in one's diet, level of physical activity, psychological attitude, and environment.
This book is an informative and eye-opening look at the mechanisms of cancer, explained in a way that a layman can understand. There are many helpful charts, tables, and illustrations that clarify the sometimes technical information about the latest research on the genesis and progression of cancer. The author maps out how rogue cells are nourished and conversely, how they can be starved of the nourishment that they need to multiply. Although researchers have undoubtedly made a great deal of progress, Servan-Schreiber assures us that we have a long way to go before we can declare victory over the many types of cancer that still plague mankind. In addition, he includes well-chosen quotations from literature (such as Tolstoy's "The Death of Ivan Ilyich"), philosophy, and other physicians and scientists to illustrate his points, some of which deal with our fear of dying without having lived a full and meaningful life.
"Anti-Cancer" is a personal, touching, instructive, and thought-provoking. Whether or not the reader is interested in adopting the author's recommendations concerning diet, exercise, meditation, and other lifestyle changes, no one who completes this book will ever think about cancer or about the human body in quite the same way. Servan-Schreiber is not a new-age charlatan who advocates far-out therapies. Everything that he suggests is based on solid and well-documented research, and he includes numerous citations from scientific journals.
Although no one wants to confront a fatal illness, Servan-Schreiber contends that his battle with cancer has had a positive aspect. "By exposing life's brevity, a diagnosis of cancer can restore life's true flavor." Forced for the first time to look into his soul and evaluate his approach to living, he realized that he had been caught up in a treadmill that allowed him little time to appreciate the importance of mind-body equilibrium, inner peace, relationships with loved ones, and personal fulfillment. Everyone, no matter what the state of his or her health, can benefit from this stimulating and provocative work.
Book Review: Evidence through anecdote
Summary: 5 Stars
I am only about halfway through this book and, like others, also wish I'd had it on hand about three years ago, when my dearest friend was diagnosed with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (AKA GIST cancer) for the third time in her 25 years of life. After two experimental drug trials, a rare side effect from one (or two) types of chemotherapeutic pills stopped her heart, effectively killing her, twice in one week. Both times, my friend was paddled back to life, alive but without any remaining traditional treatment options: Her heart was too weak for surgery and, specifically, anesthesia; the last available experimental drugs had killed her (twice); and no other drugs were left. Until three years ago, I'd thought that the scariest words I'd ever heard her say were "I have cancer," but when I heard doctors say "There is nothing else we can do" I realized I'd been wrong. And believe me, we looked all over the country for one more thing that could be done.
Because no other traditional treatment options remained, my friend was left with natural options. None of us, my friend included, believed these would work, but that was all that was left: We thought it was crazy, we thought it would never work, we thought she was as good as dead. Out of desperation, she did things that still sound crazy: "live" blood tests, vitamin C IVs, a vegan diet (80% raw, 20% cooked), juicing, supplements, cesium, enemas, and stripping out all processed foods, plastic containers, and unnatural personal products.
July 2009 marked three full years since my friend last took traditional drugs, and her 14 GIST tumors are either stable or slowly, slightly shrinking. Her quality of life is incredibly high and her heart returned to normal after a few months. No one quite knows what to make of it.
Much of what my friend has done is covered in this book and, whether you believe it or not, it's worth a read. This book summarizes much of what required YEARS of online reading and research to learn. I am so happy that books like this (as well as Crazy Sexy Cancer) are beginning to bring some of these ideas into the mainstream. I'm certainly not claiming that they work or work the same way for everyone, but hey, that's the deal with drugs, too!
Book Review: Response to Mr. Waltermire's review
Summary: 5 Stars
I came across this book recently by chance. Coincidentally, my mother had just died of multiple myeloma (a blood cancer) and my sister is currently battling ovarian cancer, so this book caught my attention. I've always been (and still am) guided by scientific evidence, putting more stock in double-blind studies than new-age healing techniques, which often sound like quackery.
This book is not new-age quackery at all; the author holds an MD & PhD, and fully acknowledges, respects, and endorses the prevailing medical establishment's use of chemotherapies, surgeries, and radiation. Simultaneously, however, he also reviews the scientific evidence of the beneficial effects of proper diet, exercise, and mental outlook on the prospects of cancer patients. He also gives a convincing explanation of why such ideas are not part of the medical establishment's recommendations on pages 113-118. In a nutshell, the universe of admissible evidence for oncologists consists ONLY of the results of large scale double-blind studies on human subjects, which typically cost hundreds of millions of dollars and are financed by pharmaceutical firms. Epidemiological studies and the results of laboratory experiments (whether on human tumor cells or on mice) are thus not considered legitimate evidence for practicing oncologists.
There are already numerous other reviews here that highly praise this book; there is no need to repeat what others have said. I was moved to contribute here after reading one of the other reader reviews.
Mr. Waltermire's review of this book (a 2-star review, and the only review giving this book less than 4 stars) states that Servan-Schreiber incorrectly asserts that Stephen J. Gould did not die of abdominal mesothelioma, while in fact Gould DID die of it. However, the postscript to Gould's essay "The Median is Not the Message" by Steve Dunn, which appears here: [...] states the opposite: that Gould actually died of an unrelated cancer 20 years after his original diagnosis. If Steve Dunn is correct, then so is Servan-Schreiber; it is Waltermire who is apparently misinformed on this point. The Wikipedia entry on Stephen Jay Gould corroborates Dunn.
Book Review: Definitive book on cancer and cancer prevention
Summary: 5 Stars
Until March of this year, cancer was a bad word that happened to unfortunate people outside my family.
That was when my 86-year-old mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Suddenly, the world for me turned upside down. My existence shrunk: the world seemed cruel, brutal and unfair, and tragedy and disgrace loomed forever right in front of me. My profound sadness was mixed with despondency, helplessness and pointless anger.
Then, after reading voraciously anything about cancer I could lay my eyes on, I found this book in the internet, and saw a video with Dr. David Servan-Schreiber talking about "false hopelessness". The the expression caught my attention, as I identified that feeling in myself: hopelessness, powerlessness, impotence before my mother's predicament.
I bought the book and read it carefully, slowly. In several occasions I was moved to tears; in others, I breathed with relief: I was not alone, I AM not alone.
After reading it, I understand cancer better, and the world no longer seems unfair. Now there is hope. Hope to help my mother, if not to save her own life, at least to live whatever time she has left with comfort, dignity and grace. My mother's illness has taught me a lesson: to appreciate life, to respect my own body, to respect all that is alive and interconnected. Had I not read this book, I don't know if I would have been able to grasp this lesson with such complete awareness and to make it a life commitment in honor of my mother. She gave me so much, and she is still giving me something to the end. I am deeply thankful to her, and also to Dr. David Servan-Schreiber for laying bare his own vulnerability and, in doing so, helping millions of people.
The sadness persists, but there's solace and beauty. This book for me was like a brother's hug that made me cry even harder but brought relief, understanding, hope and forgiveness afterwards. Thank you again, David, for this gift.
Book Review: Excellent treatment of a complex topic
Summary: 5 Stars
In my previous job as a copywriter, I was responsible for seeking out and writing about the latest findings in the field of health and wellbeing. As a trained nurse, I know how to read medical literature and I've developed a pretty good eye for what represents sound research and reasonable conclusions.
Given all that, I had pretty high expectations of this book, and I wasn't disappointed. The fact that the reference section takes up 28 full pages of a 243-page book shows that the book has been extremely well researched, and is not just the product of the author's own musings.
Dr. Servan-Schreiber has taken an extremely complex and controversial subject, studied reams of published research reports on it and drawn together a practical, down-to-earth list of suggestions for minimising one's chances of developing cancer, or giving oneself the best shot at recovery and survival if cancer does develop. There's nothing spooky or way out, and no inflated promises or false hope. It's just solidly researched, sensible information that we can all apply in our lives (and which I believe will enhance our lives, whether or not the spectre of cancer is on the cards).
Despite the volume of medical data included in the book, it's written in layman's terms, yet without being too simplistic. Further, it's a very moving book that has a lot to say about living and dying well. My personal view is that this book is a precious gift to humanity, written with compassion and insight, and I thank Dr. Servan-Schreiber for making this information available all in one place so non-medical people can benefit from the vast number of discoveries that have already been made in the search to unlock the mysteries of this frightening disease.