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  • Cancer A-Z

    Whether you or someone you love has cancer, knowing what to expect can help you cope. Here you'll find in-depth information on specific cancer types – including risk factors, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment options.

    • Explore Cancer A-Z
    • Breast Cancer
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    • All Cancer Types

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    Related Resources

    • Cancer Glossary
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    • For Health Care Professionals
  • Risk, Prevention, & Screening

    You can help reduce your risk of cancer by making healthy choices like eating right, staying active and not smoking. It’s also important to follow recommended screening guidelines, which can help detect certain cancers early.

    • Explore Risk, Prevention, & Screening
    • Find Cancer Early
    • Stay Away From Tobacco
    • Eat Healthy & Get Active
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    • What Causes Cancer?
    • Cancer Facts

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  • Treatment & Survivorship

    Whether you want to learn about treatment options, get advice on coping with side effects, or have questions about health insurance, we’re here to help. 

    • Explore Treatment & Survivorship
    • Understanding Your Diagnosis
    • Treatment & Side Effects
    • Survivorship
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    • Nearing the End of Life

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    The American Cancer Society offers programs and services to help you during and after cancer treatment. Below are some of the resources we provide. We can also help you find other free or low-cost resources available.

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    What does it take to outsmart cancer? Research. We’ve invested more than $5 billion in cancer research since 1946, all to find more – and better – treatments, uncover factors that may cause cancer, and improve cancer patients’ quality of life.

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  • Treatment & Survivorship

Understanding Your Diagnosis

Finding out you have cancer can bring many changes for you and your loved ones. 

Here, we answer many questions about cancer and making treatment decisions. We also tell you what you can expect from the people and services that are there to help you cope with cancer.

This information is not meant to replace the advice of your health care provider. Please keep in mind every patient's situation is different. Because of this, there are questions you will need to ask your doctor.  Talking with them is the best way to understand what’s going on with your body, what you can expect, and how treatment will help.

 

After Diagnosis: A Guide for Patients and Families [PDF Booklet]

Questions About Cancer

Cancer can start any place in the body. It starts when cells grow out of control and crowd out normal cells. This makes it hard for the body to work the way it should.

  • What Is Cancer?
  • Is Cancer Contagious?
  • Can Cancer Be Cured?
  • How to Find Cancer Information on the Internet
  • Cancer Glossary
  • The History of Cancer

How Cancer Is Diagnosed

Learn about the tests used to diagnose and stage cancer, and get help understanding your test results.

  • Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
  • Exams and Tests for Cancer
  • Lymph Nodes and Cancer
  • Cancer Staging

If Cancer Has Advanced

Advanced cancers have usually spread from where they started to other parts of the body. This is known as metastatic cancer. But not all advanced cancers are metastatic.

  • Advanced and Metastatic Cancer
  • Understanding Recurrence

Making Treatment Decisions

Before getting any treatment, your doctor will first need to learn more about your cancer. The results of a biopsy, blood tests, physical exams, and imaging tests (x-rays or scans), along with any problems the cancer is causing are used to decide which treatment options might be best for you. Your doctor may also talk with other experts to get their opinions. Your doctor will then discuss the goal of treatment and the pros and cons of each treatment option with you.

  • Making Decisions and Managing Your Treatment
  • Choosing Your Treatment Team
  • Questions to Ask Your Doctor
  • Treatment Types

How Do I Talk to People About Having Cancer?

It can be hard to talk about cancer, even with the people you love. Your loved ones may also have a hard time talking about cancer. It’s not easy for them to know what to say to help you or make you feel better. Here are some tips to help you and your loved ones deal with cancer.

  • Telling Others About Your Cancer
  • Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer

How Do I Cope?

At first, most people need some time to adjust to the fact that they have cancer. It’s normal to feel disbelief, shock, fear, and anger. You may need some time to absorb and understand what your diagnosis and treatment options mean for you and your loved ones.

  • Coping and Living Well During Cancer Treatment
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