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    Learning About Cancer
Preparing for Treatment
Coping with Treatment
After Treatment
   
After Diagnosis: A Guide for Patients and Families
Finding out you have cancer presents many changes for you and your loved ones. Simply having some answers can help you feel more in control and less worried about what lies ahead.

Finding out you have cancer presents many changes for you and your loved ones. You probably have lots of questions:

  • Can my disease be cured?
  • What are the best treatment options?
  • Will treatment hurt?
  • How long will treatment take?
  • Will I have to stay in a hospital?
  • How much will it cost?

Simply having some answers can help you feel more in control and less worried about what lies ahead. Here, we offer answers to many of your questions about cancer and cancer treatment. We also tell you what you can expect from the people and services that are there to help you cope with cancer. To help you feel more prepared for visits with your health care team, we offer suggestions about questions you may want to ask them. We hope this information will help you and your family as you work through your fears and concerns about cancer and cancer treatment.

Please keep in mind that this information is not meant to replace the advice of your doctor or nurse. Talking with them is the best way to understand what is going on with your body and how treatment will work to control the disease.

What Is Cancer?
Cancer is not just one disease. There are many types of cancer.
Who Gets Cancer?
More than 1 million people in the United States get cancer each year.
Am I Going to Die?
It is normal to think about dying if you have just been told you have cancer.
How Do I Cope?
At first, most people need some time to adjust to the fact that they have cancer.
How Do I Talk to People about My Cancer?
It is usually more stressful to hide emotions than to express them.
Making Treatment Decisions
Make sure you understand your options.
Types of Treatment
The 4 major types of treatment for cancer are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and biologic therapies.
How Is Treatment Planned?
Planning cancer treatment takes time.
Coping with Treatment
Pain is one of the reasons people fear cancer so much.
How Will I Pay for all This?
Before you start treatment, find out whether your insurance company or Medicare will pay for your care.
What Other Resources Do I Have?
Some people worry that asking for emotional support is a sign of weakness.
Additional Resources
Find more information and resources.
Related Tools & Topics
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