Encyclopedia of Cancer and Society

“The focus of this multivolume work (1,616 pages) is the role of health care providers, regulatory agencies, and individuals in reducing the burden of cancer by modifying risk factors and improving patterns of risk. In an excellent introduction, editor Colditz points out that about 50 percent of cancers are preventable; his goal is to improve readers’ understanding of the potential for prevention and of strategies that minimize cancer’s burden on society. The encyclopedia includes some 750 entries, ranging from cancer causes to treatment options, and from organizations that deliver care to world-renowned centers that engage in cutting-edge cancer research. In volume 1, a chronology highlights the scientific and technological developments that have contributed to the growth of cancer research and to profound changes in lifestyles and societies. Each volume contains a listing of articles, a roster with professional affiliations, and a color ‘Atlas of Cancer’ with well-labeled illustrations. This set also includes a resource guide listing books, journals, and Internet sources that deal with various aspects of cancer. The appendix provides a good statistical overview of cancer rates by race and state, and a glossary is adapted from the National Cancer Institute’s online glossary. Although other reference works are available on a wide range of cancer treatments and research topics, this work goes beyond the provisions of information on medical conditions to help readers better understand the impact of behavioral change on cancer prevention. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels.”
—CHOICE

"The Encyclopedia of Cancer & Society provides a broad picture of cancer as a part of contemporary life in all regions of the world. This public-health perspective with an emphasis on prevention is unique and distinguishes the encyclopedia from other reference works, such as The Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer: A Guide to Cancer and Its Treatments (2d ed., 2005). An excellent addition to academic, health-sciences, and large public libraries."
—Booklist, Starred Review