Leukemia Sourcebook

Basic Consumer Health Information about Adult and Childhood Leukemias, Including Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), and Hairy Cell Leukemia, and Treatments Such as Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and Immunotherapy

Leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells, has a significant impact on the lives of Americans. Each year, nearly 30,000 adults and more than 2,000 children learn that they have leukemia. Although all forms of leukemia can be treated, survival is strongly linked to age at diagnosis and the type of leukemia. Knowledge about leukemia and how to treat it continues to increase, with the overall five-year survival rate rising from 14 percent in 1960 to 44 percent today.

This Sourcebook provides health information about adult and childhood leukemias. Readers will learn about diagnosis, selection of treatment facilities, financial issues, and treatments for leukemia, including chemotherapy, radiation, drug therapy, and transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells or marrow. Also included are tips for nutrition, pain and fatigue control, and recognizing possible long-term and late effects of leukemia treatment, along with a glossary and directories of additional resources.

The book's nearly 50 articles are organized in six parts:

• Leukemia Overview – presents basic information about leukemia, including statistics, diagnosis, how to find a doctor and treatment facility, facts about clinical trials, and other issues
• Childhood Leukemia – describes acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in children, with detailed information about diagnosis and treatment, coping, and related topics
• Adult Leukemia – explains the causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of various leukemias that affect adults
• Leukemia Treatments – describes drug therapies, radiation, and peripheral blood stem cell or marrow transplantation, along with alternative therapies and investigational drugs
• Life during and after Treatment for Leukemia – gives practical advice for record keeping, nutrition and diet, dealing with fatigue and pain, and recognizing long-term effects, with tips for caregiver and patient support
• Additional Help and Information - includes a glossary of important terms and directories of prescription drug assistance programs, financial assistance resources, and organizations

What reviewers are saying . . .

"Recommended." - Choice, Association of College and Research Libraries, March 2004

"Highly recommended for all libraries. " - American Reference Books Annual, 2004

"The Leukemia Sourcebook is an excellent, current resource for non-technical information on the leukemias." - E-Streams, January 2004