Brain tumour reading list

You can find a list of books about cancer, treatments, and living with cancer on our general reading list.

Like a hole in the head
Ivan Noble
Hodder & Stoughton 2005
ISBN 0340864281

Ivan Noble was a science journalist who worked for the BBC. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in August 2002 and sadly he died in January 2005. He wrote about his feelings and experiences throughout his illness in a weekly column for the BBC website. His writings have been published as a book. Ivan's diaries are still available on the BBC website health page.

Childhood brain and spinal cord tumors: a guide for families, friends and caregiver
T Shiminski-Maher, Patsy Cullen and Maria Sansalone
Childhood Cancer Guides, November 2001
ISBN 0596500092

This book has medical information about benign and malignant brain tumours and spinal cord tumours in children. It is American so the information may not all be applicable to the UK. There are sections on how to cope time in hospital; school, friends and family; emotional issues; and for those who need it, a section on death and bereavement.

From Brain Tumour UK

• Brain tumours and epilepsy 
• Living with a brain tumour
• Radiotherapy for brain tumours

From the Brain and Spine Foundation

• Spinal tumours
• Dizziness and balance problems
• Angiograms
• Brain and spine scans
• Craniotomy
• Vestibular rehabilitation exercises (exercises for dizziness and loss of balance)
• Speech, language and communication difficulties
• Epilepsy

From Macmillan Cancer Support

• Coping with hair loss (also on audiotape and CD)
• Diet and the cancer patient
• Feeling better - controlling pain and other symptoms of cancer
• Lost for words - how to talk to someone with cancer
• Understanding brain tumours (also on audiotape)
• Understanding chemotherapy (also on audiotape)
• Understanding cancer research trials
• Understanding radiotherapy (also on audiotape)
• Talking about your cancer (also on audiotape and CD)
• What's up with Rachel? Medikidz explain brain tumours
• I'm still me: a guide for young people affected by cancer
• Cancer, you and your partner
• Talking to children when an adult has cancer

Booklets available from the The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust website

• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
• Clinical trials

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