Handbook of Advanced Cancer Care.

Handbook of Advanced Cancer Care Fisch MJ, Bruera E, eds. New York, NY 10011-4211, Cambridge University Press, 2003, paperback, 531 pp, ISBN: 0-521-01043-8, $65.

The Handbook of Advanced Cancer Care is true to the handbook element of its title it serves as a manual of basic information about cancer. The organization of the book provides ready reference to a diverse number of topics related to ontology. The book is divided into 3 parts. Part I covers general, but critical, concepts of ontology (from principles of diagnosis and staging to bereavement). Part II discusses primary tumors. Part III covers the management of certain specific symptoms (eg, pain, fatigue, constipation, and nausea) and syndromes. The book's chapters include useful references to additional information.

Physical therapists may be concerned by the apparent lack of emphasis on rehabilitation in the book. This view would be shortsighted, however, because, taken in total, the book provides a much broader and useful range of information for making decisions about designing physical therapy interventions for patients with cancer. The summaries of staging and diagnosis are practical and provide meaningful background. The discussion on tumors allows for review and can be particularly useful when information is required about a specific diagnosis.

The presentations in part III are likely the unique and, therefore, possibly the most useful element of the book. Discussion of the many specific symptoms related to cancer and cancer treatment offer summaries that can be readily used to understand directions for interventions and the need for adjusting care. Part III delineates many concerns--including pain, dyspnea, fatigue, thrombosis, hypercalcemia, lymphedema, wound care, and nausea--that could directly affect physical therapy intervention and outcomes.

Each of the 64 chapters in this book average about 7 manageable pages of information. This allows for a concise overview of the critical elements of each topic but does not presume to contain more detailed descriptions of any of the topics. The reader, therefore, should not expect complete discussion on any of the topics covered in this book. Nevertheless, this book would serve as a useful reference tool to allow quick review of myriad areas of cancer care.

R Scott Ward, PT, PhD

University of Utah 

Salt Lake City, Utah 

Dr Ward is Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Physical Therapy. One of the courses he teaches, "Selected Rehabilitation Procedures," covers the evaluation and interventions for burn injury and other integumentary wounds, cancer, and infectious diseases. His research interest is on the effect of scarring on disability in patients with burns.