Leigh Fortson

The premise of this book is good, something that is needed, and there is good advice in it. It covers a wide range of, what I prefer to call, complementary therapies. Some are palliative, or simply to provide a better quality of life by easing a particular problem be it pain relief, nausea relief or improvement in energy or appetite. Some are treatments which actually have the potential to shrink the cancer or even cure. It is nice to know there are options out there other than conventional treatment, and the ones in this book are not the only ones. The case reports in this book can inspire and give hope.

My problem with the book, however, is it is obviously biased against conventional Western medicine. In places the author appeared very bitter in fact. I am afraid it might direct someone away from a simple cancer treatment that is proven to help. Not all of the treatments listed in this book work for everyone.

This book was first reviewed by me for the Amazon Vine Program.

I am not only a cancer patient but also an oncologist, a doctor who treats cancer patients. I have seen many curable patients over the years who chose a complementary treatment as an only treatment and came back wanting conventional treatment when it was too late. I have seen some who were cured, against all odds with unconventional therapy, but usually in combination with some form of conventional treatment. I have been through surgery, chemotherapy (which gave me a whole new definition of hell), and radiation therapy. I have also been treated with Qigong, meditation and other complementary treatments, which I will continue as a life long pursuit. My fight with cancer will never be over and these are the treatments I choose now.

Everyone has to make their own decisions regarding treatment and the important thing is that they have to feel comfortable with those decisions. There is no magic bullet and no treatment, be it Eastern, Western or other, is 100 percent effective. I choose to do everything I can to give me the best chance of keeping my cancer at bay. Others may not choose to try both forms of treatment, but I am afraid this book will push people who are on the fence away from treatment that might be able to cure to a treatment that might only be able to help. I do not think conventional medicine is the only option but it should not be discounted either, and I think that is what this book does.… (mere)