Each year, over 300,000 women in the United States alone are diagnosed with some form of breast cancer, yet that doesn’t tell the whole story. Today, more than 4 million women worldwide are living with this disease—both during and after treatments. Knowing that 1 in 8 women will develop this disease in their lifetime, bestselling health author Dr. Pamela Wartian Smith has written this book to answer the many crucial questions women may have about this cancer.

The book is divided into two sections. Part 1 looks at the basics—the nature of this illness, how it is diagnosed, and the various forms it may take. It then looks at the conventional treatments now available, including surgery, radiation, and hormonal and chemotherapy protocols. Part 2 examines the risk factors that may bring on this type of cancer—the ones that cannot be changed (such as age, gender, and genetics), and those that can be changed (including cigarette addiction, poor diet, obesity, and more). This section explains why these factors are harmful, and what you can do to minimize or eliminate these risks entirely. It also focuses on the immune system. The human body has a natural defense against diseases, including cancers. By knowing how to maximize this first line of protection, you stand your very best shot at being able to help prevent breast cancer—or its potential reoccurrence. 

In How to Prevent Breast Cancer—Before & After, Dr. Smith provides a comprehensive and up-to-date look at what breast cancer is, how it is treated, and what can be done to protect women against getting it the first time—and what can be done to avoid its unwanted return.