I was hoping for clarity and factual analysis as well as recomendations based on a balanced view of where the state of treatment is today relative to breast cancer.

What I found was a misuse of statistics and generalizations that can deeply wound the psyche of any women experiencing the trauma of breast cancer.

An unbiased view with balanced reporting was what I was expecting. I cannot keep this book in my home nor advise anyone to purchase it.

Prevention should be the most important thing in anyone's life and this book definitely gives you the tools that can help you prevent breast cancer. If you already have breast cancer, I encourage you to be open minded and get on the internet and seek out information on alternative cancer treatments. They are out there and there are plenty of success stories to go along with it.

Be an empowered woman and learn about your body. Don't wait.

Breast cancer is so prevalent in our modern society that it is a source of fear to most women. The statistics in chapter 1 from the National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society include: a 40% increase from 1973 to 1998 and 15% of women who die of cancer are from breast cancer. The U.S. and Canada have the highest rates of breast cancer worldwide.

In Part 1, the traditional methods of treatment with radiation, chemotherapy and drugs such as Tamoxifen are related in large part to pharmaceutical funding of medical schools and research. Most of the risk factors for breast cancer, such as age, geography, early pregnancy, diet, alcohol, exercise, oral contraceptives and HRT are related in one way or another to estrogen dominance. What is the process of cancer development and how does a cancer cell differ from a normal cell? This information is covered in detail in Part 1.

Part 2 gives us details on the nature of estrogens, progesterone and androgens in the role of women's health. Dr. Ercole Cavalieri, research scientist at the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, University of Nebraska Medical Center, coined the phrase "Angels of Life and Angels of Death" referring to estrogens. This is due to their beneficial and harmful natures. How estrogens are balanced with progesterone; the relationship to the cells, the liver, the immune system; and what makes estriol a superior, safer estrogen is thoroughly covered in this section.

What about other hormones: androstenedione, testosterone, DHT and DHEA? Read chapter 10: "The Nature of the Androgens." Especially important are the last two chapters in this section, researching the problems of HRT, ERT, Tamoxifen and Raloxifene. Read this shocking information: "In case you have any doubts as to the extent to which drug companies are controlling physicians, did you know that pharmacies sell prescribing information to drug companies? That's right. A drug company rep can purchase a list of all the doctors who are filling prescriptions at a particular pharmacy, and find out exactly what they're prescribing. How's that for an invasion of privacy?" (p.179)

Finally, we come to Part 3-how can we prevent and/or heal breast cancer? Guidelines for using natural progesterone are outlined for various circumstances, such as premenopausal, menopausal, with endometriosis, breast fibrocysts, PMS, menstrual migraine, hysterectomy or ovariectomy and women using estrogen. The use of other hormones is also covered. A chapter on saliva testing explains how and why it is valuable and gives helpful instructions.

What about soy, dietery fat and carbohydrates? Much nutritional information is given, including "Dos and Don't's of the Anti-Cancer Diet." (p.289) Also covered is the matter of the environment with the effect of xenohormones and other toxins. Is your liver in good shape? What support can you give your system to counteract the negative effect of all these poisons?
This is a brief summary of what to expect from this remarkable book, which is informative, positive and hopeful.

There are a number of lifestyle messages that seem very reasonable, such as avoiding mammograms, some better than average diet advice, and warnings on the toxicity of so many prescription drugs. Other claims such as environmental toxins being major causes of cancer are unproven.
But the overall problem with this book is that there was no quantitative data on the effects of any recommended intervention. There was no data on % of women who contracted breast cancer who were not taking progesterone compared with those who did. There was no data on how much more lifespan (or how much less all-cause mortality) one could obtain from progesterone treatment. There was no data on the % of women who would actually have the non-cancer benefits of using progesterone. There was no data on increased lifespan or quality of life when the diet interventions were followed.
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On pp102-104 an example was given of a trial of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (Pg) creams applied to breasts 10-13 days before surgery to see how cell division rates were changed. The findings on p104 seem to relate to the un-numbered lower bar chart on p103. E2 was said in increase cell division rate by 230 %. Since the placebo rate was 8 on the ordinate, 230 % or 2.3 x 8 = 18. When 8 is increased by 18 the result is 26, which is not what the bar chart indicates. Pg was said to decrease the rate by 400%. Since 400 % of 8 is 32, 8 -32 = -24, which is absurd. A cell division rate cannot be decreased to less than zero. I guess they meant to say that the rate under placebo was decreased by 75%. This would fit the bar chart value of 2.
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On p110 the free-radical oxidation of catechol estrogens was described. Just plain catechol can be written as: 1,2-(HO)C6H4(OH) Free radicals are any type of atom with an unpaired electron, not electrons, and not just oxygen atoms. When a free radical reacts with catechol electrons are not removed alone, as this would lead to 2 or more positive charges, not a new radical. A phenolic hydrogen atom with 1 electron (a hydrogen radical) is what is actually removed to give this radical: 1,2-(HO)C6H4(O*) This does not go around looking for electrons. If it accepted just 1 electron, a phenoxide anion would be produced, and more electrons would not be accepted. If the phenoxide radical is to become a quinone, it must lose the other phenolic hydrogen atom: 1,2-(*O)C6H4(O*) This diradical would instantly rearrange to the quinone: 1,2-(O=)C6H4(=O) The damage may be done by the hydrogen radical. All these radicals are neutral in charge.

So far as quinones being always dangerous and needing inactivation, one need only look at the vital ubiquinone (vitamin or coenzyme Q10) to see the exception.

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