I'd ordered this book because I had seen the movie Living Proof which had been based on the book, and I was just curious. I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. Bazell's got an easy writing style ... it's difficult to write about all that medical stuff and terms without putting people to sleep, but Bazell manages to keep you interested.
While this book is about Her-2 and the development of Herceptin, it is so much more than that. I learned about the different kinds of treatment for cancer that were available when Herceptin was being developed and that was very interesting to me. I wept for all those women who lost their lives because Herceptin was not available to them during the trials. It's hard not to cry for them because they are more than names on a page ... these are human beings ... women who made a difference in the world and the loss of whom made an impact on their families and friends and in their professions.
And again I came away with a gratitude that Dr. Dennis Slamon did not give up. He knew what this drug could do. I know that only between 25 - 30 % of all breast cancer patients are Her-2 positive, but our lives count too! I will live because Herceptin exists.
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