"A wonderful journey through modern medical science, told with warmth and insight, brought to life through the stories of people confronting cancer. This book will inspire and educate both laymen and caregivers."

—Jerome Groopman, M.D., author of The Measure of Our Daysand The Anatomy of Hope and Recanati, Professor, Harvard Medical School

"This is probably the best book on cancer that exists—beautifully written and unfailingly interesting, conveying a clear sense of hope for cancer patients and survivors. Cancer treatment has come a long way but not without intense struggles and passions, which David Nathan narrates from the inside as one of the leading players. He explains cancer more clearly than anyone else, and his portraits of great cancer doctors are sharp and unforgettable, a contribution to history."

—Richard Preston, author of The Hot Zoneand The Demon in the Freezer

"No one is better positioned to tell the tale of the cancer treatment revolution of the last half century than David Nathan. A brilliant physician-scientist, he has been present at the cusps of history in this life-and-death field. The story he tells here is fascinating, and his book is captivating."

—Atul Gawande, M.D., author of Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Scienceand Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performanceand Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School

"David Nathan is a true storyteller. In The Cancer Treatment Revolution, he tells stories that bridge cancer patients and cancer research as few others could. These gripping tales will be appreciated by those who live with cancer and those who strive to create new therapies."

—Thomas Cech, Ph.D., recipient of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and President of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

"David Nathan, one of the nation's preeminent clinician-scientists, tells the stories of three cancer patients, revealing compelling human facets—the dedication of the remarkable teams that care for these patients and, even more, the bravery and fortitude of the patients and their families."

—Harold Varmus, M.D., recipient of the 1989 Nobel Prize in Medicine, President of the Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, and former director of the National Institutes of Health

"Engaged by the compelling triumphs and tragedies of patients whose normal lives are inevitably altered by a life-threatening cancer, the reader of The Cancer Treatment Revolutionwill easily appreciate the impact of the new cancer diagnostics and therapies compared to even relatively recent cancer treatments."

—Karen Antman, M.D., Dean, Boston University School of Medicine

"This personal, highly readable account by one of the leaders of the cancer treatment revolution explains how the revolution has come about and how it will change the future."

—Sir Paul Nurse, Ph.D., President of Rockefeller University and recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Medicine

The Cancer Treatment Revolution is both an examination of the history of cancer research and a celebration of the medical professionals, scientific researchers, and courageous patients who refuse to give up hope in the face of illness. Dr. Nathan writes movingly about Mario, a young boy who was diagnosed with a variety of leukemia that until recently was considered untreatable; six years after his diagnosis, Mario is in remission. Nathan also writes the inspiring story of Joan, a 62-year-old mother and community activist who learned she had an aggressive form of breast cancer, but who beat her diagnosis through a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and hormone-blocking drugs. Nathan also writes about Ken, a 48-year-old man who nearly died of a stomach tumor one traumatic night but who, with the help of new smart drugs, fought back against his disease with fearlessness and optimism one day at a time. Both dramatic and highly informative, The Cancer Treatment Revolution introduces you to these and other patients, their doctors, nurses, and loved ones, and the scientists who have spent the last century working tirelessly for the solution to conquering cancer.

Today, thousands of patients are winning the fight against cancer. Doctors and other medical and scientific professionals are working side by side with patients and bringing effective treatments, many new options, and greatly improved care to more and more people every day. The Cancer Treatment Revolution has begun—and together, we can win.

For the millions of Americans who are affected by invasive cancer, there is good news: today, many cancer patients will enter complete remission and live out their lives cancer-free. In this compelling narrative, David Nathan, one of America’ s most prominent medical research leaders, explores what it means to have cancer in the 21st century. Through the personal stories of three patients, Nathan reveals the nature of cancer and the history of its treatment, the triumphs and roadblocks in the fields of cancer genetics and gene-based therapy, and the behind-the-scenes efforts of doctors, nurses, and researchers fighting alongside cancer patients everywhere.

David G. Nathan, MD (Boston, MA) recently stepped down as head of the world-renowned Dana Farber Cancer Institute, one of the leading centers for cancer research and treatment. He teaches at Harvard Medical School.