Re: an extraordinary book will be indispensable to anyone dealing with cancer

[Guest guest]

I look forward to reading this book.

I would also recommend " The Magic Cancer Bullet " by Dr. Vassella of Novartis.

It is all about the history of Gleevec. It's a great story.

Has anyone here read it yet ? What are your thoughts?

awishart <awishart@...> wrote:

Dear All,

I've written a book about cancer which has had wonderful reviews,( " genius " ,

" riveting " ,

" amazing " and " extraordinary " ) and would be of particular interest to the CML

community.

Its being published this week in the US.

Thanks to for allowing me to share some information about it, I'm

grateful.

The book aims to be a very general introduction to the science of cancer, how

cancers

work, the new frontiers of genes and the history of cancer treatments over two

hundred

years. The book is structured around ten stories of scientific discovery,

intertwined with a

memoir about my father.

The reason that the CML community would be interested is that the penultimate

chapter of the book is about Druker, and the first clinical trial of

Gleevec. I

interviewed , various Gleevec patients and various people from Novartis.

Indeed, the

story of how the CML internet list campaigned for the drug is laid out.

The story of the first identified case of Leukemia, which I'm told was probably

CML, is also

in one of the earlier chapters. Back in 1845.

So far the book has had some lovely reviews.

Last week, Leonard, wrote in Salon: " Wishart's genius is in combining the

wrenching story of his father's cancer with the broader medical history of

humanity's

struggle to understand and treat the hydra-headed disease. And this latter

story, he

persuasively argues, is a happier tale, a narrative defined by steady progress;

an

enthralling tribute to the remarkable doctors and scientists who have unraveled

the

mysteries of how our bodies work and devised ways to fight their

deterioration..... To

provide hope to others in the midst of his own sorrow is a marvelous

achievement: " One in

Three " is a fine piece of work. "

http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2007/02/05/adam_wishart/index.html

And , the author of the Noonday Demon, said, 'Adam Wishart's

extraordinary book will be indispensable to anyone dealing with cancer, because

it is so

clear-eyed, so measured, so informative, and so quietly moving. He elegantly

integrates

the history of cancer research with the story of his father's illness. In doing

so, he makes

abstract science accessible and dignifies a human story with the insights of

medicine.

After reading this book, you have not only more knowledge, but also more insight

and

compassion.'

There are a whole other set of reviews from the UK are at my blog.

http://www.adamwishart.info/book_blog/index.html

You could read the introduction here

http://www.adamwishart.info/2006/06/the_books_intro.html

The amazon link to it is here.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802118402/

ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2/002-7314795-7304823?ie=UTF8

You can read the Gleevec chapter by typing in " targeting genes " into the search

inside bit.

It starts on page 190.

The first diagnosis of leukemia can be found by searching inside for " marie

straide "

Thanks very much for allowing me to post this. I am grateful. And thanks to all

the

patients who told me their stories. I'm grateful for that also.

Best wishes

Adam Wishart