Gilda's Disease: Sharing Personal Experiences and a Medical Perspective on Ovarian Cancer

Broadway, 1998. Paperback. Used: Acceptable. Paperback in good condition. 1998 Broadway Books. After the death of comedienne Gilda Radner from ovarian cancer in 1989, her husband, Gene Wilder, contacted Piver, chief of gynecological oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., to learn more about the disease that killed his wife. In this overview of ovarian cancer, Piver outlines known causes, preventive measures, symptoms and available treatments for this disease. Interspersed with the medical information are excerpts from Radner's book, It's Always Something, written when she was under treatment; personal comments by Wilder; and letters from other women who have been treated for this condition. Because in its early stages, ovarian cancer can be symptom-free, this straightforward, textbook-like presentation is useful. Comedienne Gilda Radner's death from ovarian cancer in May 1989 galvanized media attention to the disease and its risk factors. When Wilder, her widower, questioned exclusion of certain facts from a July 1989 New York Times article, he was referred to Piver at the Roswell Cancer Institute. The doctor and the actor wound up collaborating on this book, which details causes of the cancer, including "the high-fat, Western diet" ; preventive measures, including oral contraceptives and pregnancy as well as surgical removal of the ovaries; diagnosis; types and stages of the disease; surgical procedures and chemotherapy; alternative therapies, from coffee enemas to touch therapy; and initial thoughts on gene therapy. Wilder's moving personal perspective makes the guide a yet more valuable addition to the growing number of books on women's health concerns. All royalties will benefit Gilda's Club, a free, nonresidential cancer sufferers' support community in New York City, and the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry in Buffalo. - . Excess postage may be required for books over 1 kg in weight outside the EU. ISBN 0-7679-0138-X 076790138X.