Talking About Treatment

Clear and accessible, this book is the first qualitative analysis of the complex conversations that occur between breast cancer patients and their oncologists. Roberts focuses on discussions about possible avenues of treatment, and shows them to be an active and mutual collaboration of information on the one hand, and a subtle delineation of the roles of "expert" and "novice" on the other. Her work highlights how doctors achieve a delicate balance between promoting one particular treatment option while not guaranteeing a cure.