After You Hear It’s Cancer-a book review

updated November 7, 2025

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After You Hear It’s Cancer

A Guide to Navigating the Difficult Journey Ahead

By John Leifer with Lori Lindstrom Leifer, MD

Dr. Lori and John Leifer

Dr. Lori Leifer, a radiation oncologist, was well qualified to author a book about cancer. As a physician who treats cancer with radiation, she has extensive training and experience managing patients diagnosed with this devastating disease.

(Note: the photos and graphics are for illustration and are not associated with the book. The book links are affiliate links for possible compensation to this blog.)

However, her professional knowledge expanded to a new level when she found a lump that turned out to be cancer. Then she and her husband, John faced the daunting task of confronting cancer as a patient and the patient’s spouse.

They turned this life-changing experience into another chance to help the people she has spent her career caring for. Together, they wrote this book offering personal and professional guidance to help cancer patients navigate the journey.

Joining them are other families dealing with cancer who candidly share their experiences and what they have learned along the way, both positive and negative.

Cancer- the difficult journey

The Liefers’ guidance follows the same path as cancer patients. First, there is a diagnosis, followed by a review and planning of treatment options.

Then there is the active treatment phase, which involves some combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Finally, there is life after the treatments. Each phase has its own issues to navigate, which they explain with specific and understandable advice.

Navigating the journey

In part I, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning, they review how doctors diagnose and stage cancer, and how that influences treatment. They discuss when and why to get a second opinion, how genetic testing can help, selecting doctors and facilities, and considering a clinical trial.

Part II, During Active Treatment, they discuss the practical aspects of paying for cancer care and how caregivers fit into the treatment plan.

Other vital topics include pain control, managing side effects, and the importance of nutrition and exercise. They also review why and why not to consider complementary therapies.

In part III, After Initial Treatments Are Over, they acknowledge the challenge of cancer survivors and what to consider when treatment is ineffective. Sometimes patients and families must face “difficult decisions,” with guidance on when to stop curative treatment and use hospice care.

Guidance

All throughout the book, the Leifers recommend “asking questions”. Each section concludes with a list of specific questions to ask.

The book ends with a list of Resources, including advocacy and support groups, websites on cancer treatment and research, foundations and other nonprofits, government websites, and professional associations.

Some of these are

• American Cancer Society
• National Cancer Institute
• Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers
• Association of Community Cancer Centers
• Cancer Hope Network
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Recommended for “those who hear its cancer, their families, and friends

I recommend this book to families navigating this “difficult journey.” Those wanting to understand and support friends and co-workers with cancer will find the advice useful.

Since cancer is common and can strike any family, everyone should consider reading it proactively.

Finally, this general approach to diagnosing, treating, and living with a serious illness can be applied to other serious or life-threatening diseases

About the authors

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. The book was published in 2015 by Rowman and Littlefield.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center shares Dr. Leifer’s story at this link, Doctor Becomes Breast Cancer Survivor.

John Leifer is a senior health care executive, consultant, academic, and writer, including four novels. He is also an accomplished photographer.

Exploring the HEART of health

I thank NetGalley and the publishers for asking me to review this book, especially the Leifers for sharing their story.

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