Abstract

In the end, correct knowledge is the greatest "weapon" to face cancer.
Please pick up this book before reading uncertain articles circulating on the Internet!

Cancer is no longer called an "incurable disease" due to advances in medical care. But because of this, it has become increasingly important for people affected by cancer to live "their own life" while facing treatment. If you know the current status of cancer treatment and have the correct knowledge, you can realize your "own life. What are the side effects of anticancer drugs? What will I have to eat after the surgery? What are the possibilities of immunotherapy? ...... and so on. There may be many misconceptions in the fragmented and judgmental articles on the Internet. Please get the "correct knowledge" through the careful articles and illustrations in this book. From the supervisor's "Preface

If you are reading this book, you or someone close to you has just undergone or is about to undergo surgery for breast cancer. The days after finding out that you have breast cancer are filled with many tests, many explanations, and a series of choices and decisions. After the surgery, you should first take a break and relax.
Let's take a moment to organize your life from now on.
Depending on the nature of your breast cancer, postoperative treatment will begin after the surgery. Anticancer drug therapy can last from a few months to nearly a year, and hormone therapy can last from 5 to 10 years. In most cases, breast cancer patients have a relatively smooth post-treatment course and can lead a normal life during the follow-up period after treatment is completed. However, patients still experience anxiety and pain about the reality of having had breast surgery, their daily lives, and social activities. No one really knows what will happen in the future. In the midst of this situation, it is necessary to discuss and decide with family members and partners to prioritize "what is most important now" in order to live their lives. The priorities of what is important to us will vary from person to person, and will also change over time. This is natural, and we should think about and discuss this as many times as possible.
This kind of awareness of "how to live from now on" is medically called "advance care planning. The support of family members, especially partners, is essential for this. And there may come a day when those who support you will also need someone's support. Sometimes it is okay to cry as much as you can and let your emotions explode. I hope that you will be able to spend your future life with as much cheer as possible while relying on those around you.
If you have been researching breast cancer and have already been exposed to a vast amount of information, you may have seen things that are hard for you. However, it is correct knowledge that will be a great weapon for your future life. I hope that you will access the right information, understand it, and put it into practice. This book focuses on post-operative treatment and life, and includes the experiences of senior patients. We hope that you will use it as a source of information and that it will alleviate some of your anxiety and pain.
Shinji Ohno

Author’s Information

Director of Sagara Hospital/Advisor of Cancer Institute Ariake Hospital (former vice president and director of the Breast Center). Born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1958. Graduated from Kyushu University School of Medicine in 1984. After working as a clinical oncology researcher at the University of Texas in the United States, the Department of Gastroenterology and Surgery at the National University Hospital Kyushu Cancer Center, and a lecturer at Kyushu University Hospital, she joined the breast department at the National University Hospital Kyushu Cancer Center in 2000. Since April 2015, Director of the Breast Center, Cancer Research Association Ariake Hospital, and Vice Director since 2018. As the leader of the center, which performs the most breast cancer surgeries in Japan, she is responsible for diagnosing and treating the disease. In addition, she is active in the Pink Ribbon Movement, including supporting fertility preservation, young breast cancer patients, and raising awareness for early detection, as well as serving as the representative director of the certified NPO Happy Mamma. A “specialist” in breast cancer treatment who supports patients' lives and minds, as well as their families. In September 2023, he became the director of Sagara Hospital in Kagoshima Prefecture. We strive to individualize treatment and reduce the burden of treatment, aiming for a 0% mortality rate for breast cancer. Her supervised books include ``NHK: This is what I want to hear! Q: Best answers for breast cancer from famous doctors'' (Shufu to Seikatsusha), and edited books include ``Triple Negative Breast Cancer Q&A'' (Ishiyaku Publishing).